Kokiri Ukyo
by Shritistrang
Summary: Two young children grow up in the depths of Kokiri Forest... but destiny forces Ukyo and Link to leave the woods early in their life as they have to fight the King of Evil. Crossover with Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time.
1. A land named Hyrule

In the dimming glow of the sunset, a pair of humans find some shelter in the shadows of the trees at the edge of the big forest.

Life hadn't been fair to either of them. After the death of the little girl's mother, she and her father had to take care of the family business by themselves. It was a hard time, but they've been happy. The young girl even found a friend, a young boy her age.

But then, another disaster struck in the form of the boy's greedy father: He swindled her father into signing a marriage contract in which he promised to hand over the family business cart in case she would marry the boy. Her father hoped that this way, the family tradition would survive.

But the gluttony father of the boy stole the cart after tricking his son... and they both left, leaving the heartbroken little girl behind.

Now that their main income had vanished, it was even harder for both of them to survive. The girl trained as hard as she could, so that the family's fighting style at least would survive. But she could do nothing to stop her father's illness, which started with a deep depression.

And now, two years after the disaster, the illness seemed to claim its prize...

"Leave me behind, Ukyo..." Kuonji Senior gasped with his final breath. "Go... go to the Kokiri! They would never refuse a young girl like you... The guardian of the forest will make sure that you are safe, and you will grow up to be a beautiful woman..." He smiled. "Just like your mother..."

"NO!" young Ukyo Kuonji sobbed. "Please, daddy, don't leave me! I need you! I love you! You can't do this to me!!"

Her father smiled weakly at her. "Goodbye... my daughter..."

And then he closed his eyes.

----

A glittering ball of light was zipping through the forest, two insect-like wings sticking out of it. If someone would look more closely, he would see the body of a cute, if tomboyish girl within the yellow light.

"C'mon, Tael!" she shouted as she stopped in mid-air. "Don't fall behind, you slowpoke!"

Another ball of light, this one a dark purple, appeared behind her. "But sis," he whined. "Gimme a break... I can't fly as fast as you."

Suddenly, they heard a groan, followed by a sob.

"A human?" Tael said in fright. "Quick, we have to hide..."

"Don't be such a wuss," his older sister scolded him. "That voice sounds like that of a child... and it looks like it needs help. Come, follow me!"

And the two fairies quickly followed the sobbing, until they reached a small clearing, in which a little girl with torn clothes was lying.

"The poor thing," Tael said. "Tatl, can't you help her somehow?"

Ukyo looked up... and saw a yellow and a purple ball of light. "F-fairies?" She murmured. "Please... help me... my father..." Then she lost her consciousness.

Tatl gasped. "She looks like she needs help badly..."

"But we can't carry her by ourselves," Tael reminded her.

Tatl nodded. "Quick... we have to inform the Kokiri! I'll stay here and guard the kid. You go and fly to the village."

"Got it!" her brother nodded and flew away.

Tatl hovered near the ground and softly put a hand on the girl's cheek. The other fairies always called her brash and a tomboy... but actually, she was a very nice girl, with a soft spot for small children.

The girl opened her eyes and saw the smiling face of the fairy. "Who... are you?"

Tatl patted her cheek. "I'm Tatl! Don't worry, hon... My brother is getting some help. Hang in there!"

Somehow, Ukyo felt she could trust the words of the little forest sprite, and she nodded weakly. Then, she fell into a deep slumber...

----

Ukyo woke up with a gasp. As she sat up, she saw that she was lying in a bed inside some small, wooden hut. And everything... the furniture, the entrance... looked as if it had been made for a child her size.

"Am I... in the village of the Kokiri?" she murmured.

Suddenly, two young children came inside, a boy and a girl. They were both wearing green tunics, and the boy also wore a green cap. The boy was blonde and the girl had green hair.

"Oh, you're awake!" the girl said with a sigh. "What a relief! Tatl and Tael told us about you, and when we realized how weak you were, we brought you into our village. I'm Saria... and this is my best buddy, Link!"

"Hey there!" the blonde boy greeted her.

"Hello... um, my name is Ukyo. Thank you for saving me... Um, I hate to impose, but... I'm starving! Do you have something to eat?"

"Oh, of course! Link, could you...?"

"Yeah, sure!" the boy ran to a table and fetched a bowl with fruits. "Here ya go!"

"Thanks!" Ukyo said and began gobbling down the fruits.

"How did you get here?" Saria asked. "You've been lucky the fairies found you and we could bring here... A few more days within the Lost Woods, and you would've turned into a Skull Kid."

"Skull Kid?" Ukyo asked curiously in-between bites.

Link nodded. "Yeah, that's the magic of the woods: If someone who's not a fairy or Kokiri stays for too long within the Lost Woods, they're turned into a Stalfos, or a Skull Kid, if it's a child." He smiled. "But don't worry: In our village, you're safe. The Great Deku Tree protects us."

"Are you alone?" Saria asked. "Where are your parents?"

Ukyo dropped the bowl of fruits and looked down with a sad expression.

"Daddy... is gone..."

The two Kokiri gasped. "I'm... I'm sorry, Ukyo..." Saria said. "I didn't know..."

Ukyo had to think of her father, how he had smiled at her one last time and began sobbing. Saria came close to her and hugged the distressed girl. "There, there..."

"What am I supposed to do now?" Ukyo sniffed after calming down a little. "Where should I go?"

"Don't worry! You can stay here, in our village!"

Link nodded. "Yeah, we can be friends! How'd you like that?"

Ukyo sniffed and smiled back at him. "That... would be great!"

Link smiled back at her, not knowing, that a few years ago, an unknown woman had come to the Lost Woods, also leaving her child in the care of the Kokiri...

And that child was him.

----

Shampoo angrily sat down in the hot sand of the training arena. How long did she have to wait? After all, she was the great-granddaughter of one of the three elders...

When a shadow fell upon her face and blocked the hot sun of the desert, she looked up... and looked right into the face of a certain, high-ranked Gerudo warrior.

She smiled and jumped to her feet. ('Auntie Nabooru!') she said in her tribe's native tongue.

"Now, now..." Nabooru scolded. "What did your great-grandmother tell you about practicing your Hylian?"

The young girl sighed. "Shampoo is sorry, Auntie... But Hylian is so hard... Shampoo have trouble pro... prom... pronouncing it."

"Still, it's only good for a Gerudo warrior to know her husbands native language," Nabooru smiled. "After all, every member of our tribe is female, you know that, do you?"

"Yes, Shampoo knows," the warrior in-training sighed. "Have to take husbands from inferior Hylian race, so have to know their language..."

"Very good," the second-in-command of the Gerudo desert fortress nodded. Then she sighed. "I'm afraid to tell you that little Aveil can't join you on the training field today, Shampoo..."

"Why? She promised!"

"Yes, but her duties as chambermaid of the great Ganondorf is of a bigger priority... and His Highness..." Nabooru spat the title, as if it would be an insult... "Has informed us that he will come back earlier than planned, so she has to prepare his room for him."

Shampoo pouted. "Why that stupid brute king anyway? He is inferior MAN!"

Nabooru sighed as she sat down next to her niece in the warm sand. "I'm afraid our laws are very strict about this, Shampoo... and as legend says that only once in hundred years, a man is being born, this man has to be our king. And as much as I have to agree with you that he is an arrogant jerk... his magical powers are quite immense. You should be careful and let no one of his followers hear your opinion of him. Understood?"

"Shampoo understand," the little girl grumbled. She then looked up at her aunt. "Has Great-Grandmother returned from Spirit Temple?"

"I'm sorry... but she, elder Koume and elder Kotake have to prepare a special ceremony for Ganondorf. She'll come back tomorrow."

Seeing the disappointed look on the child's face, she decided to cheer her up. "What do you say I'm gonna be your sparring partner today?"

Shampoo beamed at her. "Really? But... don't you have guard duty?"

"Hey, I'm the second-in-command, right? Who says I can't change the rules a little bit?"

Shampoo grinned.

----

"WHAT??"

"You heard me!" Impa, nursemaid and bodyguard of Princess Zelda, looked down at the young, rebellious Sheikah girl in front of her. "You have been chosen to be the protector of Princess Kodachi, as I am the protector of Princess Zelda. And as it is the king's decision, neither you or me can do anything about it."

Akane grimaced at the idea of serving the snobby and - in her opinion - slightly demented younger sister of Zelda. "But Mom, she... she's a major pain in the ass! Can't someone else do the job? What about Nabiki? Or Kasumi?"

The Sheikah woman looked sternly at her daughter. "Akane, you know that Kasumi is no fighter... She's going to be a regular maid at the castle. And while I'm disappointed that Nabiki has visibly slacked off with her training, I need her assistance with our family's finances... after your father passed away, we have to make sure that we don't waste our money, and you know I'm not as gifted with money as Nabiki is..."

"But we're the protectors of the royal family!" Akane said in astonishment. "Surely you could ask the king for a slight raise..."

"Akane!" Impa sounded shocked. "You don't know what you're saying... No one DEMANDS something from the king! Also, we should be grateful for our place at the castle... Most of the other people in Hyrule look down at us Sheikah, they don't trust us 'Shadow Folk', as they call us. Surely you haven't forgotten how your father died?"

"No, Mom..." Akane said in a small voice. "I just thought..." She sighed. "Never mind... But still... Serving KODACHI? C'mon..."

Impa put her hand on her youngest daughter's shoulder. "I know you can do it. You're a strong girl, and I'm know you're gonna be a good warrior as I am. And in time, Princess Kodachi will become as wise and warm-hearted as her sister..."

Akane sweat-dropped. "I seriously doubt that..."

Suddenly, one of the windows above their heads opened, and a black-haired girl in a royal gown looked out into the courtyard. "AKANE TENDO! Where are you, servant? Come up here this instant! My royal corset needs adjustment!"

Akane looked at her mother pleadingly.

Impa smirked and gestured upwards with her head.

Sighing in defeat, Akane walked back inside. "My life is hell..." she groaned.

----

Little Ranma peered down into the pit his father had dug. "What are we doin', Pops?"

Genma Saotome proudly smiled at his son. "Today, my boy, I'll teach you an unbeatable martial arts technique, one that turns you into the most powerful fighter throughout Hyrule... no one will ever be able to stop you!"

The pig-tailed boy got excited. "Yay! I'm gonna be the bestest martial artist in the world! What shall I do?"

"First, we get you into this pit..." Just grabbing his boy, Genma threw Ranma down into the hole he just dug.

Innocently, Ranma didn't suspect anything suspicious. He rubbed his bottom, looked up and asked: "What now, Pops?"

"Just you wait, Ranma..." Ranma couldn't see what his father was doing, but he heard him rummaging around, and some strange squawks.

Then he let out a yelp of surprise, as an avalanche of white feathers, pointy beaks and sharp talons came down on him. He scuttled over into the corner of the pit and waited until his father had finished pouring all of the Cuccos out of the sack, into the pit.

Ranma grimaced nervously as he noticed how displeased the Cuccos were, and he gulped as the white-feathered chickens looked at him.

"Um... Pops?"

"Don't worry, my son!" Genma shouted from above. "It's all in this book I managed to acquire... This method will teach you the Cucco-Ken, an unstoppable technique." He smiled and picked up some rocks from the ground. "Just one thing to do..."

He aimed carefully, and then threw the rocks down at the chickens, one after another.

The Cuccos bawked angrily as the rocks hit them, and they furiously flapped around the narrow pit, hacking and scratching all the while. Ranma desperately tried staying out of reach, but it was no use, and very soon a large number of scratches and bruises covered his body.

Genma nodded. "Soon it's done... only one left..." And he smacked his final stone at the biggest chicken down there.

Glowing with fury, that Cucco opened its beak and let out a mighty: "COOOOCK-A-DOOODLE-DOOOOO!"

Ranma paled as he recognized the dreaded war cry of all Cuccos: The Cry for Help!

And then, in the distance, one could hear something that sounded like an upcoming storm, but much closer.

"Pops...?"

Ranma looked upward... and the sun seemed to disappear under the enormous flock of Cuccos that descended onto him like an army of demons right out of hell!

And when that angry horde came down of him... his world turned into a chaotic vortex of pain!

----

Ukyo was happily walking through the Lost Woods, humming a merry tune Saria taught her several days ago.

Her fairy friend Tatl nervously hovered near her shoulder. "Um, Ukyo... perhaps we should go back... You know what those woods do with kids that stay for too long within them, do you?"

"Yeah, I know," Ukyo replied. "But if we head back in time, the magic of the woods won't effect me. Besides, I'm itching for a fight with a Wolfos, or even a Moblin... I wanna try out the new moves I came up with."

"I have to disagree... I could imagine much more pleasant things to do than meeting up with a wild Wolfos or a brutal Moblin..."

Suddenly, Tatl's yellow light turned a bright red, and she tingled in warning.

"What's up?" Ukyo said in alarm. Such a reaction could only mean that there are some hostile creatures nearby...

"Over there..." Tatl whispered. "Hidden within the leaves of that tree... I can feel it, someone - or something - is there!"

Frowning, Ukyo pulled out her Fairy Slingshot, a birthday present from Link. Normally she would avoid using such weapons, but if there was something she didn't liked, it was being spied on.

She grabbed into her pocket and pulled out some Okonomiyaki flour (she always carries some of it with her, in case she would get into a battle).

She wrapped the flour into a tiny leaf and put it into the slingshot. She aimed, pulled the sling... and fired!

With a surprised squeak, something fell out of the tree!

"Bullseye!" Ukyo cheered and grabbed her Kokiri Spatula. "Now it's mine... whatever it is."

"Ukyo-sama, it's me!" a squeaky voice shouted. Recognizing the voice, Ukyo relaxed and put her spatula away.

"Konatsu, you really can give a girl a heart attack..."

Her friend looked out of the shrubs he landed in - nearly indistinguishable from them. "I'm sorry..."

Tatl yelped. "Ukyo, raise your shield! Don't tell me you never heard of the Deku Scrubs... he will shoot nuts at you!"

"Relax, Tatl," Ukyo told her fairy friend. "That's just Konatsu... he's a friend of mine!"

"Pleased to meet you!" the Deku said, jumped out of the shrubs and bowed.

Tatl peered out from behind her friend's shoulder and took a closer look at the little forest dweller: Like all Dekus, he was short and stout, his body made of wood, and leaves growing from his head. In the middle of his face, a small, tube-like appendage replaced a human's nose and mouth, and his glowing eyes gave him a melancholic expression.

Ukyo shook her head. "Konatsu, really... do you have to follow me around all the time?"

"It's a ninja's duty to protect his mistress," the Deku proclaimed and knelt down in front of her.

"Ninja?" Tatl asked curiously.

Ukyo grinned. "Yeah, Konatsu's pretty much the only Deku Ninja in existence... He adores the battle skills of the Sheikah, so he trained hard to become a ninja himself. And he's good at it, too... You really have to look hard if you want to find him." She grinned. "Well, but that could also be because he looks just like the scrubs he's hiding in..."

"But why did he call you 'mistress'?"

"Well, I once rescued Konatsu from his cruel stepmother and her two daughters... who are really ugly, even for Dekus! And he has been thankful ever since... I just can't get rid of him."

"Ukyo-sama... You're not rejecting me, are you?" the little shrub asked in a sorrowful voice.

"No, of course not," Ukyo sighed. "But at least try not to scare my friends like that any more, okay?"

He bowed his head. "Understood, mistress... I'll go back to do my duties, then."

He hurried back into the shrubs, dove into a big flower, vanished in the middle of the broad petals... and then he came shooting out of the bulb, vanishing in the treetops.

"You have some strange friends..." Tatl muttered as they continued to walk through the forest. She peered up into the treetops, and while she couldn't see the little plant-ninja, the knowledge that he was still following them somehow unsettled her.

"Well, he might be a little eccentric for a Deku... but he's a very nice guy." Another sigh. "I don't think we'll run into some Moblins today... let's head back to the village."

"Your first good idea this morning..." Tatl grumbled.

They turned around, walked through one of the massive, hollow tree trunks and immediately found themselves in the village of the Kokiri.

The female twins waved as Ukyo walked past them. Ukyo waved back as she continued past the hut of Mido, the Kokiri's leader. As usual, one of Mido's followers was in the front of his house, getting rid of the rocks that were lying within his leader's yard.

Suddenly, a small, blue blur came shooting through the air. Tatl yelped in surprise, but it was already too late: She and the other fairy collided.

"Hey!" the other fairy shouted. "Watch out! I'm in a hurry!"

"Well, you could watch where you're flying, Navi..." Tatl grumbled as she rubbed her head.

"Listen... I'm sorry, okay? Look, could you tell me where someone called 'Link' is living? I have an urgent message for him."

"Oh, Link's living over there," Ukyo said and gestured towards her friend's little tree house. "But I think he's still asleep... I'm Ukyo, a friend of Link... and I guess you already know Tatl."

"Hello," the blue fairy nodded. "Okay, I'll see if he's awake... thanks for the directions! Bye!"

And as the little blue blur zipped over to Link's house, Ukyo turned around to her yellow fairy friend. "Say, you know her?"

"Yeah, most of the fairies know her... She's a pretty smart girl... Almost as smart as me, heheh... And I believe she's the personal messenger of the Great Deku Tree."

"Wow!" Ukyo whistled. "She must be proud, being in the service of our protector..."

Tatl nodded. "Yeah, but sometimes, when I see her, she's just sitting by herself, looking at the ground... I think she's sad that unlike most of us, she hasn't got a Kokiri to guard."

"Well, she's not the only one," Ukyo said, with a side glance at Tatl.

"Hey!" Tatl said in annoyance. "It might be that I don't have a Kokiri to take care of, but..." She blushed. "I... I'm glad to have you instead..."

Ukyo smiled. Her friend was always acting so sassy, but on rare occurrences, she showed that she was caring for her brother and her friends.

----

"Mommy, mommy!"

The young Zora princess ran as fast as her little blue feet could carry her, until she stopped in front of her mother, almost slipping on the wet cavern floor.

The mature fish-woman looked at her daughter. "What is it, Ruto dear?"

The little girl was in distress. "Mommy, Lord Jabu-Jabu is acting weird again... He doesn't want to eat and is trashing around!"

"Oh dear... Ever since that dubious Gerudo king has been visiting your father, I've been having some bad feeling... as if something bad would happen soon."

"What are we gonna do, Mommy?" Ruto asked. "Without Lord Jabu-Jabu's protection, how can we Zora enjoy our peaceful life?"

"Don't worry, dear, I'll figure something out... Just keep on caring for his Lordship and be patient..." She went over to her coral-decorated dresser and pulled out a beautiful, blue kimono.

"You're going out?" Ruto asked her mother in bewilderment.

"Yes, Ruto!" her mother nodded while putting on the kimono. "I have to contact someone... Someone who might be able to help us. I don't know if I can find him or if we have enough time... But I have to try! Please, take care of your father during my absence... I know he can be... unreliable sometimes."

"Yes, Mom..." the young princess sighed.

The elegant queen of the Zora smiled and hugged her daughter. "I'll be back as quick as possible, I promise! And here, I'll give you this so you won't be sad..." She handed her daughter a beautiful trinket, composed of three small sapphires that were connected with a golden socket.

Ruto smiled and took the jewel. "It's pretty, Mom... what is it?"

"This is the most precious possession of our kingdom... The Zora Sapphire! Over generations, every female Zora of noble blood has been given this trinket as a token for that man that is going to be her betrothed... when I was younger, I gave this to your father. And now, I'm giving it to you, so you can some day continue our line..."

Ruto held the trinket close to her chest. "Don't you worry, Mom... I will treasure it until the day I'm meeting my true love... And until that day, it will remind me of you..."

"That's a good girl," the queen of the fish-folk smiled and patted her cute daughter's extensive head. "Now be a dear and tell your father I'll be gone for a while, okay?"

"Yes, Mom!" And the young princess left the cavern.

----

After leaving Zora's domain on foot, the queen stopped at the river's edge to pull one of several thermos flasks out of her travelling bag. She opened it and poured some of the hot water over her head.

In a smooth motion similar to flowing liquid, the queen's body transformed into that of a fairly attractive, middle-aged Hylian female with red hair.

"It's time to find my first husband... and tell my other child of its destiny," Queen Nodoka said to herself.

----

"What a haul, what a HAUL!"

The diminutive, perverted master of the martial arts school of Anything Goes bounded up the path of Death Mountain with the newest additions of his big underwear collection. The women from Kakariko village could be really angry at times... but it was worth it!

Happosai returned to his secret hideout within the cave he had discovered some weeks ago. Barely anyone was coming in there, because of the monsters (which weren't much of a problem because of his martial arts skills). Every now and then, one of the Gorons would come into the cave, to gather some of their 'tender rock fillet', and then they would leave. Happosai didn't know if the Gorons knew of his presence within the cave, and he didn't really care... He only knew that no angry girl would suspect him to be in here, and even if they did, they wouldn't be crazy enough to follow him.

After enjoying several moments with his darlings, cuddling with bras and ironing some panties (Happosai was the only man in Hyrule to own a modern electric iron), he was sitting down on the grass carpet within his little cave and enjoyed a nice pipe.

Suddenly, a loud rumbling startled him and made him jump to his feet.

"Now, what could've that been?" he mumbled and hurried to the entrance of the cave.

He was surprised to find the entrance blocked by a massive boulder, too big for even HIM to lift. And behind the boulder... he could feel something... some powerful, magic energy.

Happosai was furious. Who dared imprisoning the most powerful martial arts master of Hyrule? He would show them...

Well, if he found a way to move that rock...

Suddenly, he heard a deep growl behind his back. Turning around, he faced three of the biggest lizards he had ever seen in his life.

"Can it be?" he murmured. "I've read some ancient scripts about this species... but they were said to be extinct for hundred years now..."

While the Dodongos slowly approached their victim, Happosai tried remembering the special phrase he had read in that book... What was it again...?

Oh, yes: 'Dodongo dislikes smoke!'

Grinning, he pulled something out of his gi. The fire-breathing dinosaurs stopped in their tracks and stared at the object Happosai was holding.

"HAPPO DAIKARIN!"


	2. Cursed Springs, Cursed Tree

"What do you mean, I can't get in?" Link shouted.

With his hands on his hips, Mido, the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri, smirked back at the young boy, while his male fairy companion Bark imitated his movements.

"It means that I just can't let anybody meet the Great Deku Tree... and especially not a non-fairy-guy like you!"

"Yeah!" Bark nodded. "Non-fairy-guy!"

"But... but I HAVE a fairy now," Link said, gesturing at Navi, who was buzzing around his head in confusion. "See?"

"Doesn't matter! I'm still not letting you in!" Mido made it clear by intentionally blocking the path leading to the Deku Tree's glade.

"Nuh-uh! Not gonna happen!" Bark added.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Ukyo asked as she, Tatl, Saria and Sprite (Saria's fairy) approached the two boys.

"He... he won't let us through..." Navi said in a whiny voice.

"Of course not!" Mido replied. "You think just anyone could just go and visit the Deku Tree because he feels like it?"

"But the Great Tree summoned me," Link protested. "He sent me his messenger fairy, Navi, to fetch me."

"C'mon, Mido... don't be so stubborn," Saria said. "Why do you always have to pick on poor Link?"

"He does so because he's the leader," Bark grinned. Sprite flew up to him and bopped him on the nose. "OW! What d'ya do that for?"

"You're not better than him, buddy!" the green fairy grumbled.

"Whatever did Link do to you?" Ukyo wanted to know.

"You're not better," Mido snapped. "You're both not true Kokiri... you don't even have guardian fairies!"

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Tatl grumbled.

Ukyo grabbed her child-sized 'Kokiri Spatula' and snarled. "You better take that back!"

Now, face to face with an enormous cooking utensil, Mido looked far less secure than he did before.

But that didn't mean he would just give up like that. "Well... I COULD let him through if he can show me a pair of suitable weapons... at least a shield and a sword." He raised his nose. "You don't want to make a wrong impression in front of the Deku Tree, do you?"

"Well, that's easily settled," Ukyo grinned and produced a small, wooden shield. "Here, Link, use my Deku Shield!"

Link was delighted. "Th-thanks, Ukyo. But... don't you need it?"

Ukyo waved that aside. "Heh, my battle spatula is big enough to deflect monster attacks... besides, you need it more than me."

"Okay, he might have a shield," Mido huffed. "So what? As long as he can't show me a sword, he can't pass!"

"You... you big meanie," Navi proclaimed.

"No, no, you amateur..." Tatl protested. "In a case like this, you should say something like: FUCK YOU!!"

"GAH!" Navi yelped. "I can't say that!"

"You're a wuss..." the yellow fairy huffed.

Meanwhile Ukyo, knowing that Konatsu was still around, gave him a small signal in form of two crossed fingers, and the little Deku understood. Leaping from tree to tree, he crossed the village until he reached a certain hill... In here, as he knew from Ukyo, an old Kokiri weapon was stored within a tiny maze. Ukyo had discovered the secret hiding place of that sword by accident, but she left it there, as she preferred fighting with her spatula. She didn't tell anyone about her discovery, except for Tatl and Konatsu... and she was pretty sure Mido didn't know that it was hidden there.

"You still insist that Link can't enter without a proper sword?" Ukyo asked dangerously.

Mido sweated. He knew that it wouldn't be too wise to upset Ukyo, but his pride didn't allow him to back off. "No sword, no audience with the Deku Tree!" he insisted.

Ukyo grinned and held up her right palm. Suddenly, out of the treetops, a short sword came falling, resting inside a blue sheath. Ukyo caught the blade effortlessly and handed it to Link.

"So maybe he could use this one, what d'ya say?"

Mido wasn't the only one to gawk in surprise. Link grabbed the Kokiri Sword's handle and pulled it out of it's sheath... the morning sun was glittering on the smooth surface of the blade.

"Ukyo, how did you..." Saria stuttered, but Ukyo shook her head. Saria instantly realized what this meant: 'I'll explain later.'

Link grinned as he let his new sword whoosh through the air (Navi yelped and dove for cover). "So, don't have much options left, huh? I've got a fairy, a shield, a sword... What now, Mido?"

"Fine, fine!" Mido grumbled. "I'll let you in... But know this: I still don't see you as one of us!" Angrily he walked past the blonde boy and his fairy. Bark followed him.

"And the same goes for you!" he snapped one last time at Ukyo, before vanishing in his hut.

Saria shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with him... I'll talk to him. See you guys later!"

And she followed Mido, Sprite flying after her.

Ukyo nodded towards the entrance to the Deku Tree's glade. "Well, should we?"

"You're coming too?" Link asked in surprise.

"Yeah, why not?" Ukyo asked. "I always wanted to meet him eye to eye... Well, figuratively speaking, of course..."

"But... but the Great Deku Tree only told me to bring Link to him..." Navi weakly protested.

"So what?" Tatl asked. "He didn't forbid us to accompany you two, did he? We're just gonna tag along, if that's fine with you."

Link nodded. "Sure! And thanks for the help, Ukyo!" He looked at his new sword. "I still don't know where you got this blade from, but you know what they say about a gift horse's mouth..."

"Don't worry about that," Ukyo smiled. "Let's just say there is someone that likes to follow me around..."

Throwing a quick side glance into one of the nearby treetops, she saw the glowing eyes of her Deku Ninja, and winked at him.

----

"Here we are, boy..." Genma smiled as he spread his arms. "The springs of Jusenkyo... a famous training spot for martial artists!"

Ranma looked around in awe. After they walking all over the wide plains of Hyrule, they had reached this secluded valley, lying in-between Death Mountain and the Zora river. All over the training grounds, many pools of water were spread, long wooden poles protruding from their shallow depths.

"Looks like an awesome place," the 12-year old murmured. Then he frowned and threw his father an angry glance. "Although I hope this idea is better than your plan to teach me the Cucco-Ken..." he grumbled.

"Take care, honored customers," the small, rotund guide told them. "Jusenkyo is sacred place of Zora tribe... Would be too, too bad if you do something foolish..."

"Why? You want to tell us that we aren't supposed to train here?" Genma asked.

"I didn't say that, honored customer," the guide shook his round head. "But Jusenkyo is sacred for a reason... You see, every single one of those springs is cursed..."

He blinked and turned around. The bald customer and his son have vanished? Where could they be?

The sounds of ki-powered jumps and the smacks of fists and feet turned his attention towards the springs, where the two customers were jumping from pole to pole, exchanging blows.

"Oh, be careful, dear customers..." the Jusenkyo guide said in a troubled voice. "If you fall down in springs..."

Ranma and Genma ignored him.

"C'mon, Pops," the pig-tailed boy taunted while balancing on a pole. "Is that the best you got?"

Genma grimaced. He had trained his son very well, that was for sure. To think that he was that good at such a young age...

Well, but he still wasn't good enough to defeat his old man.

"Let me remind you of one important rule, Ranma," Genma smirked and jumped towards his son. Pride goes before a fa... aaaahaaaahaaah... aaaaaaaall!"

SPLASH!

Ranma grinned as he looked down at the spring in which his father had just stumbled. "You were saying?"

Suddenly, something massive burst forth from the tiny spring, something much bigger than his father ever was.

"Oh no!" the Jusenkyo guide gasped. "Honored customer fall into Spring of Drowned Moosh... Terrible tragic story of winged bear that drowned in that spring a hundred years ago..."

Ranma yelped in surprise as the enormous, blue-furred bear with the tiny wings on its back landed on one of the poles, looked at him grimly and then attacked.

Ranma was that baffled that he nearly forgot to fight back. He slipped and... fell down, right into the spring underneath him.

SPLASH!

Ranma felt weird under the water, but at the same time, strangely relaxed, as if the water would mean no harm to him...

But if he stayed for too long under water, he would surely drown, so he surfaced with a gasp.

Ranma blinked as he looked closer at the slick, blue skin of his arm. The winged bear on top of the pole sweat-dropped, while the guide let out another gasp.

"Aiyah! Now young Mr. Customer fell into Spring of Drowned Zora Girl... Terrible tragic story of young Zora girl that drowned in that spring many years ago..."

Wait a minute... Zora GIRL?

Ranma glanced down at his... HER chest and patted the small bulges that had appeared there. Sure, they were small... but they were definitely there. And let's not forget her blue skin and webbed feet, the fins hanging from her forearms and hips, and the small protrusion looking like a tiny fish-tail that was situated where the pigtail had been.

"AAAAAAH!" Ranma yelled. "I'M A CUTE FISH-GIRL!"

The winged bear let out a growf and held up a wooden sign that read: 'And what about me?'

"Ranma?"

Ranma froze. That voice... could it be? It had been a long time since he heard it, but he could recognize it anywhere...

The little Zora-girl standing within the cursed spring turned around. "M-mom?"

Nodoka nee Saotome stood next to the Jusenkyo guide in her blue kimono and looked at her daughter nee son with wide eyes.

'Of all springs, that he fell into that one...' she thought.

And then she rushed at her new daughter and grabbed onto her with a massive glomp.

"GAH! Mom! Whaddya doin'? Let go offa me!"

"Oh, Ranma!" Nodoka gushed. "You're just soooo CUTE!!"

Ranma groaned. This day couldn't get any worse...

----

"A curse?" Ukyo asked.

"Yes!" The Great Deku Tree's grandfather-like face seemed to furrow his barky brows. "That evil man from the desert... he's been spreading his evil throughout all of Hyrule, not just our forest."

"And we have to stop that curse lying on you, somehow, right?" Link asked.

"Yes, but you must hurry, for I fear that my time is running short... Deep within me, the creature that is causing the curse has hidden somewhere..."

Underneath the Deku Tree's mouth, a big opening appeared. "Go now, Link... And you too, Ukyo. I originally intended on letting Link do this quest by himself... But regarding your... peculiar background, I think it's best if you both do this together. Trust in each other and your fairies, and everything will work out fine."

"You can count on us," Tatl said with pride. "We'll take care of everything."

"I won't fail you, Great Deku Tree," Navi said in determination.

Ukyo grabbed her spatula and Link grabbed his sword. They took a look at the dark entrance, nodded at each other and went in.

----

"Gah!" Ukyo shouted as her feet hit what she at first had believed to be solid ground, but what actually was a giant spider web that was stretched over a big hole in the wooden floor of the chamber within the Deku Tree.

"Listen," Navi said. "It's a giant spider web... and if we look down from here, we can see the room underneath us."

"Yeah..." Tatl said. "And your point is?"

Navi got nervous again. "Um, I just thought it would be important to say... Did I do it wrong? Ooooh, it's so much harder being a guardian fairy than I thought..."

"Don't worry!" Link smiled reassuringly at her. "I think you're doing very good!"

Navi blushed. "Th-thank you..."

----

"What the...?" Link shouted as something with many legs came down from the ceiling. He stared at the spider-like insect with the strange skull shell on its back. "What is THAT?"

"Don't tell me you never heard of the Skulltula before," Tatl said. "Just, um... hit it with the sword or something!"

"Hey! Be careful," Navi warned him. "It's weak spot is its underbelly... wait until it turns around!"

"Okay," Link nodded. "Gotcha!"

Ukyo leaned back against a wall as she watched Link engaging the Skulltula. "Looks like you don't need my help with this one..."

Link grinned as the Skulltula turned around, showing its soft belly. He struck it with his sword, and she fell down to the ground, defeated.

"Easy as pie," he said and sheathed his sword. "Thanks for the info, Navi!"

Navi couldn't help it... Any time Link would thank or praise her, she had to blush. Thankfully, it didn't show through her blue shimmer...

"Yeah, and it's just good that Navi knows her stuff..." Ukyo said with a side glance at her own fairy. "'Just hit it with the sword or something...' A VERY useful tip, Tatl..."

"Hey, everyone has a bad day..." the yellow fairy grumbled.

----

"Listen... To open a door, just stand in front of it and..."

"I think we ALL know how to open a door, Navi..." Ukyo sweat-dropped. "Thank you very much!"

----

"Is that it?" Ukyo asked as they stood in front of a big door. After falling down through that shaft, and swimming out of the little pond underneath it, they found this room at the end of the weird 'dungeon' within the Deku Tree.

"Has to be," Link replied. "I don't see any other way!"

Konatsu dropped down from the ceiling. During all their battles, the little Deku Scrub had helped them various times by dropping Deku Nuts on their enemies from above. "Ukyo-sama, if you want, I'll go first..."

Ukyo was going to respond something, when suddenly, a rustling sound drew off her attention.

"Now what?" Tatl sighed.

Suddenly, out of three little scrubs on the room's floor, three little shapes popped out.

Navi gasped. "Oh my! Those are the UGLIEST Deku Scrubs I've ever seen..."

"Well, hello there, Konatsu..." the middle one smirked. "I didn't know that you would be siding with those silly Kokiri... But I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave. The great Queen Gohma has BIG plans with this tree... isn't that right, my darlings?"

"Yes," the left and right Deku chirped... they were both even uglier than the middle one.

"You know those hags, Konatsu?" Tatl asked.

"Hey! Who's a hag?" the left Deku snapped.

Konatsu gulped. "Yes... they're my stepmother... and my stepsisters!"

----

"Queen Gohma?" Konatsu asked in a worried tone of voice. "You... you made a pact with that gruesome creature? Why?"

His stepmother grinned. "Because... this allows us to take over leadership of these woods. We just had enough of that silly old tree and his foolish children..."

"Yes," one of his sisters nodded. "Once the curse has destroyed the Deku Tree, the Kokiri won't have a protector, and we can rule over the forest."

"That's wrong..." Konatsu whispered. "You cannot... Whatever did the Kokiri to you? How could you do this?"

"And you, Konatsu?" his stepmother snapped back. "How could you leave us after how we treated you? We let you stay with us, even after your father's death... And this is how you repay us? By siding with those brats?"

"Who's a brat, you ugly witch?" Tatl snarled. "Ukyo, let's get them!"

Ukyo nodded in determination and gripped her spatula. "Right."

"Wait!" Konatsu shouted. "Wait a minute, Ukyo!"

Ukyo frowned. Konatsu had called her 'Ukyo'. Not 'mistress' or 'Ukyo-sama', as usual... Which means he was very serious about something.

"I have to take care of this..." the small Deku grumbled, before he lowered his head and closed his eyes...

----

The massive form of the Moblin towered over the fallen Deku, who felt miserable. After being forced to run away from home, he got lost within the woods and soon stumbled over this aggressive brute.

The Moblin raised his enormous stone club. "Any last words?" he grumbled in his gruff voice.

Konatsu closed his eyes and waited for the end... but instead, a loud 'clang' could be heard, accompanied by a battle cry.

And when Konatsu opened his eyes, he saw how the giant groaned in pain and fell down to the ground, like a cut tree.

"That's that!" the long-haired girl wearing green Kokiri clothes smirked. "You all right, little guy?"

He watched how she twirled around some metal weapon that was almost as big as herself, and he instantly realized: This had to be a dedicated warrior... just like he was a dedicated ninja.

And she had saved his life, which he could repay only in one way...

He knelt down in front of the surprised girl and lowered his head. "Mistress, I am your loyal servant..."

"Hey?" she asked in surprise. "What the...?"

The Deku looked up at her pleadingly. "Please, take me as your loyal vassal, and I will do anything you desire."

"Now wait just a minute, sugar," she protested. "I don't just take servants like that. After all, I couldn't pay you... the only Rupees I ever have are the ones I find here in the woods, by fighting monsters..."

"I don't care," he said. "Please, take me with you, I'll do anything... as long as you take me far away from my home." He again lowered his head. "I couldn't bear it any longer what they do to me..."

"Whoa, wait a sec... Don't tell me your family mistreats you..."

"My... my stepmother and stepsisters..." he whispered.

Ukyo pondered about it. She really didn't like the idea of taking a servant or something similar, and she wasn't kidding when she said that she could not pay him very well... But then she got an idea.

"Listen," she said. "You can come with me and do as you wish... but remember, whatever you do, whatever you say, I won't see you as a servant."

"W-what...?" he asked in confusion. He looked up... and saw her hand reaching down to him. Confused, he took it.

"But I think what you need more than a mistress... is a friend."

----

Yes, that was how they had met for the first time... And yet, Konatsu couldn't stop thinking of her as his mistress. After all, he had no other place. After all, most of the other Kokiri didn't like his species too much...

But still, he would never hesitate to protect his friends.

"I won't let you get away with it," he said in a very serious voice. "The Great Deku Tree is not just the protector of the Kokiri... he is the protector of all living beings within the woods. The trees, the animals... even of us Dekus!"

"You fool!" his stepmother hissed. "Why do you think the Kokiri despise us? Why are we the outcasts of the forest? It's all because of that overgrown stump with a beard. Getting rid of him is the ONLY way of getting some respect from his little brats."

"You're wrong..." Konatsu whispered. "We simply have to... adapt."

"Don't listen to him!" the ugly old Deku yelled and gestured at Konatsu and his friends. "Get them!"

Her two even uglier daughters crouched down within their Deku flowers and each spit a hard Deku Nut at their opponents.

"Watch out!" Navi shouted, and Link took cover behind his wooden shield. Ukyo did the same with her spatula, and the two nuts got reflected from the smooth surfaces, flew back to where they came from, and hardly smacked against the tube-like noses of Konatsu's stepsisters.

"Mom!" they cried. "Help!"

"My darlings!" the old hag shouted. "You'll pay for this!"

Like a living missile made of leaves and wood, she shot out of her Deku Flower. Konatsu, imitating her, shot up in the air as well, showing that a good Deku Ninja did not have to rely on a Deku Flower...

They met each other in a clash of hard, wooden limbs, swirly leaves and flying nuts.

"I've got you now!" the old woman shouted and prepared to throw a stunning Deku Nut at her stepson.

"Konatsu, look out!" Ukyo shouted.

Reacting in the last moment, Konatsu retracted in his protective, wooden shell... A defensive maneuver that only the strongest Dekus could learn. The stunning nut bounced back, hit his stepmother, who got instantly frozen.

"Uh-oh..." she muttered through her clenched tube-mouth, and then she could only yell, as Konatsu's body came swirling towards her like a small tornado... and smacked her down onto the floor!

Swiftly, Konatsu landed next to his unconscious opponent. "I'll make sure that you'll never set a foot in here again..." he muttered. "As for the rest of us Dekus... we have to earn respect, not force others to obey us. That's all!"

"Ko-chan!" Ukyo shouted in joy and relief. "You did it!"

Konatsu smiled back at her... but then, he hesitated. How did she call him?

Not 'Konatsu', like usual... No, she clearly said 'Ko-chan'.

He smiled, made a step backwards and bowed in front of the confused Okonomiyaki chef. "Ukyo-sama, it has been an honor being a ninja in your services..."

And then he came running to her and grabbed her in a big hug. "And I'm very, very glad to have you as a friend!"

Ukyo didn't say anything, but nodded and returned the hug.

Navi and Link nodded at each other, while Tatl gave her friends the thumbs-up. "Nice going, you two!"

Later, Konatsu scooped up the unmoving bodies of his stepmother and her daughters and wrapped them in a big bundle, consisting of a giant leaf.

"I'll make sure they'll stay outside," he said. "You take care of Queen Gohma... and be careful! We Deku know her very well... and she's not only one of the most dangerous forest dwellers, but also a servant of evil."

"Don't worry," Link assured him. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah," Ukyo nodded. "And, Ko-chan... thanks again for the help! You did great!"

Konatsu smiled back at her. "I only wanted to help my... friend!" And then, he took the bundle and leapt upwards, bouncing off the walls of the vertical shaft they came from and soon vanished from their sights.

Ukyo and Link then turned around to face the dark entrance of the parasite queen Gohma's lair.

"Watch your back, Gohma..." Ukyo growled. "Here we come!"

----

The evil Parasite Queen Gohma let out a wail of anguish, as her single eye was being pierced by the short sword.

Link pulled it back out and watched, as the horrible creature collapsed and disintegrated into a pile of ashes.

"And stay down!" he grumbled while sheathing his blade.

----

The Great Deku Tree seemed to smile at the two children, as they once again stood in front of him. "You did pretty well, you two... but sadly, it was too late... The curse has already spread too far..."

"WHAT?" Ukyo shouted. "That cannot be! You mean, all of this fighting has been in vain?"

"Not in vain," the wise old tree corrected her. "Did you not stop the Deku Trio with the help of your friend Konatsu? Did you not slay the evil Gohma, who would have attacked the village as soon as its work within me had been finished? Believe me, you did what you had to do, and I am grateful for it.

But now listen to me, as there is not much time left for us to speak... The evil man from the desert, who had sent the parasite, did not only attack the forest. I fear his evil ambitions will affect all of Hyrule if no one will stop him... Therefore, I ask of you to go to the castle of Hyrule... and bring this to the princess, Zelda!"

A bright green shining light descended from the Deku Tree's branches and took shape as a beautifully crafted emerald, held within a golden socket.

"This is the Kokiri Emerald!" the Deku Tree explained. "Bring this to the princess, Link, and she will know what to do.

"But... to reach the castle, I would have to leave the forest," Link protested. "You always warned us not to leave the woods, or else we would be doomed..."

The wise tree smiled weakly. "The times have changed, brave Link... After all, I won't survive this day to protect everyone in the village anymore, I'm afraid... also, I can assure you that you have nothing to fear when you leave, as long as your fairy and friends are with you, you will do fine, I know it!"

"Don't worry, wise Deku Tree!" Ukyo said. "We'll make sure that the princess will get this emerald, I promise!"

"Yeah," Tatl nodded. "And we'll help them on their way! Right, Navi?"

"R-right..." the blue fairy stuttered weakly.

"Very good," the tree smiled. "Aaaaah... I feel how my powers are growing weaker... Navi, Tatl, I leave those two children in your care... And good luck to all of you... Fare... well... my... chil... dren..."

The two children and their fairies could only watch and sob as the bark of the old tree suddenly turned into a sickly grey, and his face froze into a mask of death... Suddenly, the whole forest seemed to become darker, and every single bird stopped singing. A cold breeze blew past them.

"Oh wise Deku Tree..." Navi sobbed. "What will the Kokiri do without your guidance?"

"Now there..." Tatl said and stroked her friend's hair. "They will be fine if we fairies continue to do our jobs... and besides, we don't have much time to mourn... If we don't hurry, who knows what this 'evil man' is going to do to Hyrule?"

"That's right!" Link nodded in determination. "I'm ready for everything now... I'm going to leave the woods and head for Hyrule Castle!"

Ukyo smiled. "To boldly go where no Kokiri has gone before, huh? Sounds good to me! I'm with you!"

They clasped hands, and their tiny fairy friends put their own little hands on them. "We can do this... together!"


	3. A Castle and two Princesses

"Wow!" Ukyo gasped. "Will you look at that, Link? Such wide plains! I can't remember too much from before my life in the forest, but I didn't know that Hyrule Field would look this awesome..."

She looked back. "Uh, Link?"

"In a minute," Link said while swinging his sword. "I'm cutting some grass here..."

"Why in the name of Farore are you doing this?" Ukyo asked in disbelief.

Link grinned. "Well, there's a pretty big chance that there will be some rupees under the grass... Ah, see? I was right!" And he picked up a shiny blue rupee, which was worth 5 green rupees.

"I always wondered how those rupees, Deku Seeds and magic drinks appear under all that grass and in the bushes..." Tatl grumbled.

Navi smiled. "The Deku Tree once told me of the ancient tribe of the Minish... He said that those tiny guys love to help Hylians and other people, so they secretly put rupees and other things in the high grass. He said they would live somewhere in the forest, hidden from the 'big people'."

"The Minish, huh?" Tatl asked. "Don't tell me you believe in that fairy tale... I've never seen one in my life..."

"Whatever, we can't spend the whole day searching for rupees," Ukyo said. "We have to hurry if we want to reach the Castle Town before nightfall."

"I guess you're right," Link sighed. "I just hoped I would find a big one very quickly... oh well!"

He pulled out the Fairy Ocarina Saria had given him as a farewell present. Playing a cheerful tune she had taught him, he remembered her sad, smiling face as she said goodbye... She seemed pretty sad that they had to go, but in some way she had always felt that her two friends were somehow different...

Tael and Konatsu had been sad as well. Tatl had to promise her brother to come back safely, before he stopped crying. But Konatsu at least understood the importance of Ukyo's journey, and he promised to do his best to unite the society of the Dekus with the Kokiri, so that the two tribes of the woods could live peacefully with each other.

And maybe some day, there would also be the possibility of Hylians and Kokiri living next to each other, without having to worry about the Lost Wood's fearsome magic...

----

Ryoga Hibiki wasn't a happy guy. Since his birth, the strong Goron had been cursed with a very bad sense of direction, so he had trouble finding his way back to his hometown on Death Mountain.

During his journeys, he had also met with Ranma Saotome, someone who loved to fight, just like him. Ryoga followed Ranma and his father for several days, until one day, the two young boys decided to have a sparring match with each other.

Ranma suggested the big tree next to the Lon Lon Ranch as a meeting place. Ryoga agreed.

It took him nearly four days to finally reach the meeting point. And when Ryoga had managed to find it, Ranma and his father were long gone.

Ryoga felt so miserable after realizing the true horror of his old family curse, that in his anger, he blamed Ranma for everything, and he decided to hunt him down.

For several weeks, he didn't find him. The weeks turned into months... and in the end, he had been searching for his old rival for almost a year, but still couldn't find him.

Exhausted, he had reached a small valley with many springs. He had heard from some guy that this was supposed to be an ancient training ground, so he had been hoping to find Ranma there.

Instead, he met with two female Zoras, a beautiful, middle-aged woman and a cute girl that looked like she was her daughter. The small Zora girl was just chasing around a big bear with tiny wings and blue fur, apparently in anger.

Ryoga saw how they were headed his way and tried to get out of the way. The winged bear missed him, but the little Zora girl stepped right onto his rocky head, causing him to stumble over the edge of the hill he was standing on, and rolling down into one of the springs.

When he finally came out of the water, the two Zoras and their bear were long gone... also, everything seemed to be much bigger than before.

The round Jusenkyo guide knelt down next to him. "Oh, poor Mr. Customer fell into spring of drowned cucco... Terribly tragic story of cucco who drowned in this spring many years ago... Now everyone who fall into spring takes shape of cucco..."

Bad enough that he was cursed to turn into this chicken when splashed with cold water... No, his bad sense of direction made him get lost again...

Curiously, the bandana-clad chicken looked around the impressive courtyard of an even more impressive building.

'Where the heck am I NOW?' Ryoga wondered.

----

Akane, youngest of the Sheikah sisters, angrily entered the courtyard, the only place in the castle where she could find some peace...

That stupid brat Kodachi... Why did she always assign such trivial tasks to her? Taking out her laundry, bringing her fresh water... Didn't she have chambermaids for that? Sometimes Akane believed the spoiled princess existed only to make her life hell...

"Chirp?"

Akane looked down... and looked right into the eyes of a little cucco chick that was hidden within the flowers of the yard.

She smiled. "Hey there, little guy... Where did you come from?"

She held out her hand. "C'mere, lil' cucco... Come on, I won't hurt you..."

Hesitating at first, the small chick carefully came closer. When she picked him up, he seemed to blush through his yellow feathers.

Akane gushed. "Aawwww, aren't you the cutest little thing? What do you say I keep you as a pet? Hmm, wanna be friends?"

She nodded. "Yes, and I think I'll call you... C-chan! Hmm, do you like that name?"

Ryoga looked up at the face of that cute little Sheikah girl.

'I'm... I'm in heaven...' he thought.

----

"Taro? Where are you?"

"In the barn, feeding the cows," came the gruff answer.

The cute young farm-girl came into the barn and saw how the young, muscular man used all of his impressive strength to care for the animals.

"You're always so good with cows," little Malon said.

Taro had to smirk. "Well, you could say I can figure how they feel..."

Malon smiled. Ever since the wandering martial artist had crashed through the roof of the Cucco shack, he had been staying with them to compensate for the damages he had caused.

Originally, Taro really hadn't planned on staying for a longer time at the Lon Lon Ranch, and he actually didn't care for what kind of damages his arrival had caused. But after seeing the angry father's scared little daughter, he somehow felt... protective. He looked at Malon's cute little face and simply couldn't bear seeing her cry, so he quickly dropped his 'tough guy' image and tried very hard making her smile again. And if taking care of those animals she obviously loved so much would do the trick... Well, then he would just do that.

At first Malon had been intimidated by the brash manners of the rough boy, but after realizing how much he cared about her and seeing how much effort he put into tending the animals (especially the cows), she could not help but feel a certain... kinship to him.

"Daddy and I are going on a delivery, Taro!" Malon told him cheerfully. "We have to bring some milk to the castle. Will you and Ingo do fine by yourselves for a while?"

He smiled back at her. "Don't worry... Ol' Bellyacher and I will be okay..."

She giggled. "Well then, see you later!"

She ran outside, to help her father Talon load the milk crates on their cart. Taro always managed to cheer her up, somehow... Mr. Ingo didn't like the young man, but what did he know?

Although there was still something about Taro she didn't understand: Why does he break out in tears each time she asks for his full name?

----

"You don't understand, Kodachi... this is serious!"

"Oh, spare me your spooky stories, sister dear..." Kodachi said in her snobbish voice. "Those dirty desert bandits won't dare attacking our glorious kingdom... Whatever gave you the idea that their barbarian leader would be an evil sorcerer?"

Zelda, crown princess of Hyrule, sighed. "I don't know... It's just that those dreams I had... Those dark, scary clouds... I fear something terrible is going to happen, Kodachi."

Princess Kodachi laughed. "Please, sister... Do you expect me to believe that your silly dreams are prophetic? Now, would you please go bother someone else? I have important business to take care of..."

And after her blonde, older sister was gone, she continued staring adoringly at the uniformed figure of the captain of the royal guard.

"Oh, Captain Mikado..." she gushed. "How I long for the touch of your strong, powerful arms... to look into your handsome eyes..."

Meanwhile, Zelda entered the private chambers of her father.

"Father? We have to talk!"

The king turned around with a smile upon hearing the voice of his little daughter. "Ah, Zelda... I'm terribly sorry, dear, but I haven't much time... The delegate of the Gerudo tribe will arrive this afternoon, and I have to prepare myself for that meeting. The chancellor informed me that Ganondorf is their leader... We don't want our new allies to get the wrong impression, do we?"

The chancellor... It was a mystery to the young princess how her father could put his trusts in that extremely irritating man... "But father," she protested. "That man... he won't do our kingdom any good! I saw him in my dreams. And Impa... she once met him, in the Gerudo Valley. She told me she could feel the aura of evil that surrounded him."

"Zelda, listen," the king sighed. "I know Impa is your nursemaid and bodyguard, and her three daughters are your best friends, but... Surely you would put more trust in the negotiating skills of your old father than in the superstitious tales of the Sheikah, right?"

Zelda shook her head. It just was no use...

"Father, don't you understand... I'm worried about you!"

"I know," he said. "And I'm really, really grateful for that." He stepped closer to his daughter and gave her a quick hug. "But trust me in this one: After this meeting, there won't be any more squabbles between our people and the Gerudo. Ganondorf promised the only thing he wished for was peace." He looked down at her. "Isn't that worth a risk?"

"I wish it was, father..." Zelad mumbled and left. "I wish it was..."

And she left the chamber.

The king sighed and sat down in his chair. Sometimes, it was very hard making the right decisions as a king...

Someone knocked. "Hello? King?"

The king chuckled. That voice could only belong to one man...

"Come in, chancellor!"

The door opened, and the wide grin of the chancellor of Hyrule Castle appeared.

"I presume everything is ready for the big meeting?" the king asked.

"O'course it is," Chancellor Kuno grinned. "Da big Kahuna has everything unda control! Dis meeting is gonna be a blast!"

----

"Stupid old man..." Ranma-chan grumbled as she angrily batted her fin-like pigtail out of her adorable blue face. "I tell ya, Mom, he always gets me into trouble... but this time he has gone too far!"

"I have to agree," Nodoka sighed, sitting next to her daughter while the kettle was heating up on the fireplace in-between them. "Messing around with Jusenkyo is... unwise." She threw her ex-husband an angry glare. "I knew it was a mistake, leaving you behind in this buffoon's clutches! You should be ashamed of yourself, Genma!"

'Genma?' a wooden sign read. 'There's no Genma here! I'm just a cuddly winged bear...'

Nodoka sighed and shook her head. "Although, it could have been much worse, Ranma... I still can't believe that of all springs, you fell into this one..."

Ranma scratched her head. "Uh, why? What's so great about having weak girl's body? A fish girl's body, to top it off..."

His mother groaned. "Did your father teach you this...? Never mind that, of course he did..." Another, deep sigh. "Ranma... I think it is time I showed you a secret of mine... I mean, didn't you even hear about my name during your journeys with your father? Don't you know which position I'm in?"

Ranma blinked. "Um, should I know?"

"Well, I guess I should show you, then..." Nodoka grabbed into her bag and produced a bottle of water (Remember: bottles are very useful in Hyrule).

She poured the cold water over her head... and transformed into an elegant-looking Zora-woman.

Nodoka smiled. "Guess you didn't know about my own curse, huh?"

Ranma continued to stare... and then she fainted.

Genma and Nodoka both bent over the unconscious body of their child.

Then Genma flipped around his sign: 'Now you broke him!'

----

Several minutes later, Ranma was wide awake again, and every member of the Saotome family was back in their human forms.

"So... let me get this straight..." the pigtailed boy murmured. "You've married another man after leaving Pops..."

Nodoka nodded. "Yes!"

"And... you're the queen of the Zora now..."

"Yes!"

"And you don't want any of the Zora - besides your new husband - know that you are actually a human, because that would be a scandal..."

"Yes!"

"And now you want me to come with you to Zora's Domain to save some sacred animal, but I have to say I am your daughter, a born Zora and bear the name 'Ranko'?"

"Why, yes!" Nodoka beamed at her son.

"ARE YOU INSANE?" Ranma exploded. "I can't... I just can't... I'm not some girl!!"

Nodoka was taken aback by her son's outburst. "But... but Ranma..." she said in an uncertain tone of voice. "Don't you want to see your mother's new home? Aren't you curious about seeing the world through a Zora's eyes?"

"Most definitely not!" Ranma huffed.

Nodoka looked sad. "And... don't you even want to meet your... sister?"

Ranma blinked. "I have a... sister?"

"Well, half-sister, of course... but I think you'd like her!" She beamed. "She's the cutest little thing in Hyrule... and she sometimes can be quite the tomboy, so I think you would get along with each other just fine!"

Ranma thought about it... He HAD wished for some time he had a younger sibling... After all those years on the road with his Pops, life had turned pretty dull... So, learning that he had a little sister perked him up visibly. Perhaps she even liked to fight...

"Well... I guess it couldn't hurt to pay Zora's Domain a little visit..." he grumbled in defeat.

Nodoka hugged her son. "Oh Ranma, that's wonderful! I knew I could count on you! And don't worry, you'll LOVE it there!"

"Now hold your horses there..." Genma protested. "What about our training trip? How can I train Ranma to be a man among men if he has to pretend being a prissy little Zora princess? We certainly don't have time for that!" He huffed. "Sorry, No-chan, but find yourself another savior... this one's booked up!"

Nodoka frowned. "Listen up, Genma... I've had it with your stupid ideas of 'honor' and 'manliness'... I know I can be proud of my Ranma, and I'm sure he'll grow up to be a strong man, no matter what his Jusenkyo curse is. Coming with me to Zora's Domain and learning something new can only be better than your constant failures. The Zora have a REAL code of honor, not the silly ideas you grew up with!"

Genma rose to his feet and towered over his ex-wife. "Woman, you forget yourself! I am... well I WAS your husband and the father of this boy! Therefore, only I know what is best for him! He WON'T come with you!"

"Aw, shut yer trap, Pops!" Ranma yelled and kicked his old man into the water.

The fat, blue-furred bear rose to the surface of the river and raised a sign: 'Why me...?'

Nodoka huffed. "Well, I guess every princess needs her pet... Right, 'Mr. Moosh'?"

Ranma snickered. This trip could be much more fun than he had imagined.

----

"Before time began, before spirits and life existed...

Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule...

Din, the goddess of power...

Nayru, the goddess of wisdom...

Farore, the goddess of courage...

Din... with her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth.

Nayru... poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world.

Farore... with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.

The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world.

Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence. And, the resting place of the triangles have become the Sacred Realm."

The faceless figure who has spoken in her soothing voice, tenderly brushed over Link's cheek.

"Who...?" he grumbled sleepily. "Who are...?" The dark silhouette seemed to vanish. "W-wait... don't go..."

----

Link awoke with a gasp. Panting heavily, he looked around the small campsite they put up near the closed gates of Hyrule Town.

Nearby, the sleeping forms of the two fairies were snoozing peacefully.

Ukyo, who had guarded them for the second half of the night, approached him in worry. "Link..." she whispered, so she wouldn't wake the fairies. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes... yes, I'm fine," he replied. "It was just... some strange dream..."

"You wanna talk about it?" the girl asked him.

He shook his head. "No... no, it's okay! But, thanks anyway!"

He sighed and looked eastwards, where the sun sleepily crawled over the high mountaintops.

"I believe it wouldn't make any sense going back to sleep now," he sighed. "So I guess we can get up early... I suppose the city guards will lower the drawbridge any time now, anyway..."

Ukyo nodded, walked over to the fairies and nudged her yellow friend with the handle of her spatula. "Hey, you sleepyheads... wake up! We gotta go!"

----

They were amazed at the big castle town of Hyrule. The two forest children felt lost in the middle of the tall Hylians, carefully wading through their masses. In all their life they had never seen so many people at once.

"I can't believe it," Link said. "How can they build such big buildings? And just how do they stand the noise?" He pulled his green cap over his ears.

"I think I'm getting a headache..." Navi groaned. All those many people made her feel hot and sick... she was used to the fresh air of the forest and couldn't stand the sweaty smell which was the result of so many people cramped together in one tiny street.

"You're a wuss," Tatl exclaimed from her position atop Ukyo's head, but she didn't feel too well either.

"Perhaps we should go into one of the stores," Ukyo suggested. "I bet it's much quieter in there."

Her friends agreed, and so they headed into a small, secluded shop in one corner of the marketplace.

The inside was sparsely furnished, and not a single person could be seen. Only a very plain counter separated the entrance area from several shelves in which some strange-looking masks were lying.

Tatl read a big sign on the wall which showed that today was the big opening of the 'Happy Mask Shop'.

"Well, for a big opening, there sure aren't many customers in here," Ukyo noticed.

Suddenly, a person entered from the back room and walked behind the counter. "Ah, my first customers," the yellow-skinned man with the squinty eyes grinned. "For that, I'll grant you a special discount... Would you like some of my masks?"

"Um... we're just looking..." Ukyo said.

"Oh, really?" the man said with a disappointed voice. "Now that's a shame... You know, masks exist to make people happy... also, there are masks for any occasion... So it's just a question of how and when you'll find a mask that'll suit you."

"How much for that one?" Link asked and gestured at a yellow fox mask.

The Happy Mask Salesman smiled. "Ah! The Keaton Mask! Yes, it's pretty popular with children. They say those masks contain the spirits of the Keaton fox... Well, I suppose I can give one to you for 20 rupees..."

"Deal!" Link paid the amount, and the man handed the mask to him.

"I can't wait to show it to Saria," Link grinned.

Meanwhile, Ukyo was looking at a very strange mask that was hanging next to the shelves... it was blue and red, covered with strange, colorful ornaments and a big pair of staring, yellow eyes. All around the mask's edges, protrusions looking like sharp spikes or horns were jutting out.

Ukyo shivered. That mask gave her the creeps. "Scary..." she mumbled.

"Oh, I don't think you'd like this one," the man said. "Legend has it that this mask carries a terrible curse within..." He grinned. "Furthermore, it's not for sale!"

"Um... I didn't really plan on buying it," Ukyo assured him. "Link, ready to go?"

He nodded. "Sure!" And they left the store.

The Happy Mask Salesman looked at the spooky mask hanging next to his shelves. "I better put you back into storage... I don't even want to know how you got here in the first place... I could've sworn I locked you up in my old chest..."

Majora's Mask seemed to stare right back at him, with glowing, yellow eyes...

----

The young guard shook his head. "Nay, I say. You cannot pass!"

"But why?" Link asked in a voice that sounded almost whiny. "I told you we have an urgent message for Princess Zelda..."

The young man looked down at the boy from the forest with a sneer. "The fair princess' time is much too precious to waste it to a peasant boy like you... Now, why don't you go back to your parents and play?"

"He... he treats me like a child..." Link growled in frustration.

"Hey, we ARE children," Ukyo whispered back. "But that doesn't mean the princess wouldn't speak to us." she spoke out aloud. "And I think she would be pretty upset if a simple GUARD like yourself would send away two ambassadors."

The young man smirked. "Young girl... I may look like any other guard to you... But know that I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of the Royal Palace Guard, am the son of the chancellor himself... So I believe the princess would rather talk to me than to two children that look like they came directly out of the forest..."

"That's exactly where we're from," Link replied angrily. "Now let us through, you stubborn snob!"

----

Ukyo shook her head as the two forest kids walked back to the marketplace. "That was really smooth, Link... You couldn't be a little more discreet, could you?"

"It's not my fault that this guy is such a... such a..."

"Jerk?" Tatl offered helpfully.

Link nodded. "Yeah, that's the word."

"Hey, you two!"

Ukyo and Link turned around their heads and saw a girl about their age with long, reddish-brown hair, who smiled at them.

"Did you talk to us?" Ukyo asked.

"Yup, that was me!" the girl nodded. "Say, I couldn't help but listen to your conversation... You want to enter the castle, right?"

"Well, that's true... but who...?"

The girl smiled. "I am Malon... my Daddy owns the Lon Lon Ranch in the middle of Hyrule Field. You know, you two wear pretty strange clothes. You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, not really!" Ukyo replied.

Malon curiously bent forward and came closer. "Sooooo... wheeeeeere... are you from?"

"Um..." Link stared at the curious girl that looked up at him with those cute little eyes of hers. "We're of the forest children... My name's Link, and this is my friend Ukyo."

"The forest children?" Malon asked. "Ooooh, how exciting. That means you're one of the fairy-boys, right? Doesn't happen too often that you come out of your woods, eh?"

"Well, we have to take care of some business at the castle," Ukyo told her.

"My Daddy's at the castle as well," Malon explained. "He went there to deliver some milk... but I guess he fell asleep again..." She giggled, then shook her head. "It's always the same with him..."

She tilted her head. "Saaayyyy... if I tell you a way how to get into that castle, could you do me a favor and look for him? You might have to wake him up, though... Just tell him I'm waiting, okay?"

"Sure, we can do that," Link nodded. Ukyo gave him a small side glance, but nodded as well.

"Great!" Malon clapped her hands. "Okay, listen... On the right side of the front gate, there's some ivy growing on the wall... Climb up there and you should be able to sneak past the guards. On the right castle wall, there's a small hole used as a water drain... I think you're both small enough to fit through there. Just go ahead and you're in the castle's courtyard... I heard the princess is there very often."

"Sneaking past the guards?" Tatl grinned. "Sounds like fun! Let's do it!"

"I dunno..." Navi pondered. "Isn't that what they call 'illegal'? And what if we get caught...?"

"Hey, if there's no other way, we have to do it," Link said. "We just have to be stealthy enough, right?"

Ukyo grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me. Let's go!"

"Good luck!" Malon said. "And don't forget about my father, right?"

"Don't worry!" Link shouted back as he and Ukyo ran back towards the castle. "We'll remember it! See ya!"

When they lost sight of the farm girl, he grinned at Ukyo. "She's cute, isn't she?"

"Oh yeah?" Ukyo grumbled. "And what about Saria?"

"Huh? She's cute as well, of course..."

Ukyo sighed. "Never mind..."

'Boys...' she thought. 'Show them a cute face and they forget everything else...'

----

Ryoga was sitting on the ground of the castle courtyard and looked down at his reflection in the water of the fountains...

A noise drew off his attention, and he saw a Sheikah girl enter the courtyard. "Hey Ryoga!" Akane greeted him. "What's up?"

"Oh, hi Akane..." the young Goron murmured. "It's just that... well..." he sighed. "Um, I mean..." Dang, that was hard.

"Akane... I'm your friend, right?"

Akane came closer. "Of course! Why shouldn't you?" she wondered. "I like you: You're nice, brave, strong..." She giggled. "Okay, you can be pretty clueless sometimes... But that's just... Well, it's you! That's how you are! And I like you the way you are!"

Ryoga looked back at his reflection. "So, you like me as I am, right?"

"Of course," she nodded. "You're a great friend... even if I really don't understand how you always manage to get into the castle... or how you always get lost that easily."

"And... would you..." Ryoga blushed as best as a Goron could. "Would you... be upset if... if I..." He took a deep breath. "If I came into your room?"

"My room?" Akane laughed. "Now, Ryoga... don't be silly! You're not planning on sneaking into a girl's bedroom, are you?"

"N-n-no, of course not!" Ryoga quickly replied. "I only wondered..."

'Damn...' he thought. 'What should I do? If she finds out that I am her pet Cucco, I'm done for... She would surely hate me if she realizes how often I've been in her room... in her bed, even...'

"Ryoga? Are you all right?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine! Don't worry!"

Akane didn't say anything else, but in her mind, she wondered...

'You're a poor liar...' she thought.

Suddenly, her sharpened Sheikah senses felt something. Her head turned around and she pricked her ears.

"What's wrong?" the bandana-clad Goron asked and got up from the ground. "Did you hear something?"

"Someone... someone's nearby..." Akane muttered. Her face darkened visibly. "We've got some intruders..."

----

"Looks like we finally made it..." Ukyo sighed as she and Link walked past the statues and hedges in the courtyard of the castle.

"Those guards sure were easy to trick," Link grinned. "Now, where to find that princess..."

Akane, who was crouching behind a big statue, listened to the words of the two forest children.

'Kokiri?' She recognized their clothes from her mother's stories. 'What do they want? How did they get past the guards? And why do they want to speak to the princess?'

She looked around. 'And by the way, where's Ryoga?'

----

Unlucky Ryoga had lost his balance when Akane had suddenly jumped away from her position, hiding behind the statue before the two forest kids and their fairies arrived. Falling into one of the fountains with a splash, he instantly got transformed into his tiny, cursed form of a Cucco chick.

Angrily, he shook the water out of his feathers as he climbed out of the water.

Suddenly, he nearly got blinded by a gleaming ball of light that seemed to descend upon him. In the middle of the light, however, he could see the face of a cute girl with wings.

Navi smiled. "Hey there, little Cucco! How did you get here?"

Tatl landed next to her, the tomboyish fairy brushing her blonde hair out of her face. "Perhaps he's the pet of the princess..."

Ryoga sweated. In his cursed form, those fairies were even taller than him. Somehow, he felt very helpless when he realized this...

"Hey, don't play with the Cucco!" Ukyo shouted. "We have better things to do."

All of a sudden, a dark shape came leaping out of the shadows. Ukyo gasped as a barrage of sharp throwing darts came flying in her direction, and she jumped out of the way. Link yelped and took cover behind his Deku Shield. The darts instantly got stuck in the shield's wooden surface.

"Leave C-chan alone, you hear me?" their assaulter grumbled.

Ukyo frowned upon recognizing the other girl's garments... it was the traditional garb of the so-called 'Shadow Folk'.

"You're... a Sheikah..." she realized.

Akane nodded, but didn't went out of her battle stance. "That's right! I'm the daughter of the last Sheikah warrior... And now: Tell me what you want, now!"

"Akane!" a soft voice called out from behind her. "Leave them alone! I'm sure they don't mean any harm..."

Akane turned around. The calm presence of her friend and princess convinced her, so she relaxed and nodded.

Then she threw the two green-clothed kids an angry glare. "But you better not hurt my C-chan!" And protectively, she scooped up her little pet with her hands.

Link and Ukyo looked at the princess in awe... Zelda was somehow surrounded by a mystical aura of peace and light, which made her look even more beautiful, even at her young age. Link couldn't close his mouth.

Zelda smiled. "I am Zelda, crown princess of Hyrule." She took a quick look at Tatl and Navi. "I saw your fairies. So that means you're from the forest, right? May I ask for your names?"

Link looked like he couldn't say any intelligent word, so Ukyo took over: "I am Ukyo, and this is my friend Link. We've been send by the protector of the woods, the Great Deku Tree, to see you."

"I see..." Zelda nodded. "And you wouldn't, by any chance, carry a green, shiny gem with you?"

Ukyo gasped. "How did you know?" she asked and produced the Kokiri Emerald.

"I had a dream," the princess explained. "In it, I could see black clouds that were covering our country... But then, a green light came out of the forest and drove the darkness away. It took shape and turned into two children, wearing green clothes, a girl and a boy... And they were carrying a green, sparkling gemstone."

Akane had listened to the princess' story in awe, just like Ukyo and Link. She was one of the very few people to know that Zelda's dreams really could be prophetic at times... but what did that dream mean?

"So... the Deku Tree sent you, yes?" Zelda asked. "Well then... I believe it is time I told you what this gemstone is all about...

According to legend, Hyrule has been created by three goddesses... And after they finished, they left three golden triangles behind, which formed the most sacred artifact: The Triforce! They say that it has the power to grant any wish to the person who touches it. As legend has it, it's supposed to be hidden deep within the Sacred Realm, which entrance lies in the Temple of Time... And to open that entrance, three spiritual stones are needed. This stone... the Kokiri Emerald... is only one of them."

"An amazing story..." Navi whispered. "We fairies have similar legends, but... It was never as detailed as in your tale."

Zelda smiled. "Well, my family has always been the keeper of the old legends... Also, we have to make sure that the Sacred Realm is never to be reached by anyone who would use the Triforce's powers for evil deeds..."

"But someone has to be out there, searching for it," Ukyo realized. "Our forest had been attacked by a dark man, who had placed a curse upon the Deku Tree... and he died. Well, at least Link and I were able to defeat the parasite within the tree and bring the emerald to you... I'm starting to believe that this gemstone was what he's been after."

"I agree," Link nodded. "But who could it be? Who is that man and what does he plan to do with the Triforce?"

Akane gasped and clutched C-chan to her chest (Ryoga nearly got a nosebleed). "Princess... you don't mean the very same man you've suspected all this time is actually..."

"Yes!" Zelda nodded. "I believe... the person who has attacked your forest, who wants to steal the Spiritual Stones and use the power of the Triforce... is this man!" And she gestured at a nearby window.

Curiously, Link and Ukyo peered inside... and saw the big throne room of Hyrule Castle.

And in front of them... a dark-skinned man wearing black armor was kneeling on the ground, facing the king sitting on the throne.

----

"Da big Kahuna proudly presents to ye: Ganondorf, king of da Gerudo tribe! Aloha!"

Ganondorf, the only existing male of the Gerudo tribe and therefore their king, could only felt irritation while kneeling down in front of the king of Hyrule.

'That chancellor is a pompous fool...' he thought. At first, he had pondered if he should use this man, the king's loyal advisor, as his own pawn to find out more about the royal family's secrets... But still, he had some pride. He would not employ the help of such a twisted Hylian such as Chancellor Kuno, and if it would mean his death...

But then, his gaze wandered over to the young soldier standing next to the chancellor... The son of Kuno, the young Tatewaki... Yes, Ganondorf could feel dark emotions swelling inside that boy's heart. Perhaps he could be of some use, if not his fool of a father...

"Lord Ganondorf!" the king smiled as he stood up and spread his arms. "Welcome! We were so pleased upon receiving your message... Finally, after all those years, we shall be able to place a treaty of peace."

Ganondorf stood up and lowered his head. "Your Highness, my only wish is for our people to live next to each other without having any worries in life..."

"I see, you seem to be an honorable man, Ganondorf," the king smiled. "But please forgive me my question: Why did you decide to put an end to the fighting between our people? For all those past years, the Gerudo had never agreed on making the step you just made..."

"It is true that my people are proud, sometimes even stubborn," Ganondorf said in a thoughtful voice. "But you have to understand, we're a tribe of desert dwellers... And our life can be quite harsh. At day, a burning wind is punishing my lands, searing the world... And when the moon climbs into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierces our homes... No matter when it comes, the wind carries the same thing: Death!"

He then smiled. "But the winds that are blowing across the green fields of Hyrule bring something other than suffering and ruin... And my tribe covets that wind, I suppose."

Again, he bowed towards the throne. "But from this day on, this shall change... If we have peace, Hyrule surely will be free to be roamed by my people..."

"I think I understand..." the king nodded, as he stroked his beard. "Well, I can imagine that desert life can be harsh at times... Right, chancellor?"

"Ah, I dunno, king..." Chancellor Kuno grinned. "Just imagine: A few palm trees an' a big ocean, and it will almost look like a tropical beach, eh?"

The king laughed. "Well, that's one way to look at it, I suppose..."

Outwardly, Ganondorf continued to smile, but deep within him, a fierce resentment against the chancellor was beginning to stir... No. He could NEVER take such a man as his servant...

----

Suddenly, Ukyo and Link gasped and backed off in surprise. Just now, they had watched the king and chancellor laughing about something, and Ganondorf looked like he had forced himself to smirk. But then, he had jerked his head around and stared through the window they've been crouching at.

"What's wrong?" Zelda asked in alarm. "Did he see you?"

"I'm afraid so, yeah..." Ukyo gulped.

"Don't worry," Zelda reassured them. "He knows nothing about our plans... We just have to hurry."

"Don't worry!" Link said and made a fist. "We'll find those spiritual stones, I'll see to it."

Zelda smiled at them. "Thank you very much, both of you!" She produced a small piece of paper. "Wait a minute... I'll write a quick letter so you can show others that you are on a mission on my behalf. Also, my confidant Impa will teach you a very important song."

She turned around to face Akane. "Akane, could you please fetch your mother? It's urgent."

Akane nodded sharply. "Yes, right away!" She took her little Cucco and ran back inside.

Intrigued, Zelda looked at the two forest children. "I have to admit, I'm curious... It's not very often that one of the Kokiri leaves his or her forest home, so we don't get many tales from them. Please... could you tell me what life in the forest is like?"

Ukyo scratched her head. "Well... I have to admit, we've been living in the forest for all this time, and we never came out of it, so I'm afraid Hyrule Town is the only place outside of the woods we've seen by now... But..." She smiled. "I can certainly tell you I like the forest life. Kokiri and their fairies try to get along with most of the wood creatures, as long as they are no monsters... And the Great Deku Tree protected us all."

"The fairies..." Zelda looked up at the shimmering forms of Tatl and Navi. "I heard every Kokiri has his or her own fairy... is that true?"

"Yeah, that about sums it up," Tatl nodded. "We watch out for them, and they protect us from bigger creatures... actually, it's a pretty good deal for both sides."

"That sounds so interesting..." Zelda said in awe. "I wish I had a fairy guardian, too... The four of you must be pretty close friends if you knew each other for all that time..."

Navi blushed. "I... I'm not... I'm just trying to do my best..." How should she explain to the princess that she had only recently turned into Link's guardian?

"I think it's great that Link has a great friend he can rely on like you, Navi," Zelda said.

Navi blushed even deeper... She desperately tried avoiding to show the others just how much she grew to like the blonde-haired boy...

Tatl grinned and nudged her. "Hey, don't be ashamed... the princess just complimented you!"

"Th-thank you..." Navi mumbled nervously.

The princess smiled. "It was my pleasure!"

Just then, Akane came back into the courtyard, followed by a middle-aged Sheikah woman, dressed in fine armor.

"Everyone, this is my mother," Akane said.

Impa nodded. "I am Impa, last warrior of the Sheikah... My daughter told me about your mission, and I have to say, you two are pretty brave for such young children."

Link and Ukyo went red. Link in embarrassment, as he wasn't used to such praise... and Ukyo with anger, because she didn't like how the woman treated her like a child.

"The letter the princess gave you will show every royal soldier in Hyrule that you are on a mission on her behalf. But... there are other tribes in Hyrule that may be a little harder to convince... For this, I'll teach you a special song... A melody that has been passed down from generation to generation of the members of the royal family, and to their guardians... This melody will show others that you are in direct contact with a member of the royal family."

Ukyo grimaced. "A song... I must say I can't remember melodies very well. Um, Link... you take care of this, okay?"

Link smiled as he produced the Fairy Ocarina Saria had given to him. "Sure!"

"Now listen carefully..." Impa put two fingers to her mouth and whistled a nice-sounding tune.

Link listened, put the ocarina to his lips and played along with the Sheikah.

After a while, Impa nodded and lowered her hand. "That should do it! I wish you good luck, to the both of you."

She turned around to face her daughter. "Akane... you will go with them."

"M-me?" Akane squeaked in surprise. "Wh-why?"

"They need someone to show them the way to the two tribes that are holding on to the remaining two stones, and your abilities will be a great help to them. Besides, it will be a good training for you, and I think it's time you get some contact with someone your own age. It's for your good, believe me."

Akane sighed. She still didn't trust those forest children, but she didn't dare defying her mother... or the princess. "Yes, Mom..."

Zelda raised her hand to say goodbye. "Have a safe journey... I will try to convince my father some more."

"We'll come back as soon as possible," Ukyo said wholeheartedly.

Impa put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Akane, I'm counting on you... Please, show them the way out."

"All right," the young Sheikah girl nodded, then turned around to her two new travel companions. "Come, it's this way..."

----

While Akane and the two green-clothed children left the courtyard, a small Cucco chick was sitting on a windowsill and looked after her.

'Akane...' Ryoga mentally sighed. 'What should I do? Shall I go after her... or would I only be a burden?'

Suddenly, he felt himself being picked up by someone. Letting out a tweet of surprise, he glanced up at the serious face of another Sheikah girl, slightly older than Akane.

"I need to talk to you for a moment, 'C-chan'..." Nabiki muttered.

She carried him into the Tendo family's room in the servant's quarters, where she had prepared a tub with hot water. She tossed the little Cucco inside and waited.

When the flailing Ryoga came bursting out of the water, she didn't bother to turn around, as most Gorons were naked all the time.

"C-could you be a little more careful next time, Nabiki?" Ryoga coughed. "You know how nervous we Gorons are when in water..."

"Never mind that now..." Nabiki interrupted. "I only want to ask you one question, Ryoga: Do you care about my little sister?"

The rocky boy stared at her. "Of course I do. Why shouldn't I...?"

Nabiki looked at him sternly. "Because I just saw how you let her go all by herself and didn't go after her. We know that while Akane is a better fighter than both me and Kasumi, she's still a beginner... And I don't believe both you and me have a really big trust into the abilities of those forest kids..."

"So... what do you expect me to do?" Ryoga asked.

Nabiki responded with a look that seemed to say 'What a stupid question'. "Go after her, silly!"

"B-but what if she finds out that I'm C-chan...?"

"Ryoga, listen... You know I've never been too happy that you're sleeping in my little sister's bed and pretended to be her pet Cucco... But at the same time, I know you had some hard times in your life: Your bad sense of direction, your curse and your fear of water. But trust me with this one: Going after Akane and helping her is the first step to show her that she is more to you than just a friend... and perhaps she will forgive you, if you decide to tell her about your curse one day."

Ryoga had to admit that Nabiki had a point. He looked out of the window.

"Akane..."

Nabiki smirked and gestured outside with her head. "What are you waiting for?"

----

"I really hope they have a safe trip..." Princess Zelda said to her nursemaid and bodyguard.

"Don't worry," Impa reassured her. "They have already beaten one demon, and Akane is with them. I think they will do fine."

Then, they both yelped in surprise, when something resembling a rocky boulder came crashing down on the ground next to them and began rolling out of the courtyard at an amazing speed.

"AKANE! WAIT FOR ME!"

Zelda gasped. "By Nayru... what was THAT?"

Impa smirked as she looked after the form of the rolling Goron. "I believe it's a tough guy with a soft spot for my little daughter..."

----

Ryoga panted as he stood next to Akane and her two companions. "A... Akane, I'm sorry that I couldn't... that I didn't catch up with you earlier..."

"Don't worry," Akane smiled. "I'm glad you decided to join us... Although I must say I'm surprised that you didn't get lost this time, while following me."

Ryoga looked up in surprise. "I didn't?"

Akane grinned and shook her head. "Nope."

A single tear was flowing down Ryoga's solid cheeks... This had to be the happiest day in his life. Even if this was a one-time accident, he somehow knew that no matter what, he would always find a way back to Akane...

"So, you're a Goron, huh?" Ukyo asked while they were walking past the town's gates. "Interesting for a forest dweller like me to meet a mountain guy like you."

Ryoga chuckled. "Yeah, pretty amazing... Although, I don't come home too often..." He gave off a sad sigh. Then he snarled angrily. "Everything... just because of that damn Ranma..."

Suddenly, Ukyo stopped.

The other ones stopped as well and turned around. "Hey, Ukyo," Link said. "What's wrong?"

"Ranma..." Ukyo murmured. "Ranma... somehow... that name sounds familiar..."

"Well, if you know Ranma, than I hope you're not his friend," Ryoga grumbled. "Because I'll kill him if I ever see him again!"

Navi and Tatl backed off nervously... An angry Goron was not a pretty sight.

Suddenly, it all came back to Ukyo: Her family's cart... her dying father... her suffering... the bald man... and his son, the boy with the pigtail..."

Ukyo growled as she remembered the one person who was responsible for the misery she had lived through before she came to the Kokiri... and for her father's death.

"Ranma Saotome..." she snarled.

----

Nodoka and her family were just walking up the banks of the Zora River, when suddenly, her daughter sneezed.

"What wrong, honey?" she asked and turned around.

'Ranko' sniffed while riding on the blue, winged bear her father had turned into. "I don't know..." the little Zora girl shuddered. "But somehow, I have this inexplicable feeling of doom..."


	4. Staying at the Farm

Taro grimaced as he stared at the four-legged devil, the bane of his existence... Even now, as it was rearing up on its hind legs, it seemed to laugh at him, now that he was lying in the dirt...

"Damned horse..." the rough fighter grumbled and threw a rock at the young foal.

Epona just snickered in amusement as she effortlessly dodged the thrown object. This rude human should just try and get her... she would never let herself tame by any human. She was a free spirit and would let no human get near her...

Well, except maybe for Malon. That girl could sing such beautiful songs... it made the young foal want to jump with joy.

Taro stood up from the ground. "Some day I'm gonna get you, just you wait!" he yelled and shook his fist. Epona just showed him her backside.

Grumbling, Taro walked back to the barn to take care of the other horses.

Ingo, the other farmhand in Talon's employment, leaned against the wooden fence of the horse pasture and chuckled.

"Tried taming the wild beast again, eh?" the skinny, mustached man asked.

"Shut up, Ingo..." Taro growled. "I want to see you doing better..."

That made Ingo angry. If there was something he didn't like, it was someone else pointing out that he wasn't able to do a job perfectly.

"One day, I'm gonna be the sole owner of this farm, and when this time has come, I'm gonna kick you and lazy ol' Talon out of here... Pantyhose!"

Taro grabbed the lanky man at his suspenders. "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" he snapped with fury.

Ingo knew this young man could wipe the floor with him, but he didn't show any fear, as he knew Taro's weakness. He simply smiled. "Go ahead, hit me... that won't stop me telling sweet little Malon about your little secret..."

Taro's face came several inches closer to the farmhand's visage, but Ingo didn't even flinch.

Finally, he threw the thinner man to the ground. "Get lost before I change my mind..." he growled and headed into the barn.

Ingo waited until Taro was out of sight, then he let out a sigh of relief. He didn't want to show it to anyone, but sometimes, even he was afraid that Taro might risk his little secret and 'polish Ingo's face', like he put it.

Epona had watched the banter between the two humans. Disgustedly, she threw Ingo an angry glare. While she believed Taro to be an amusing little fella, she downright HATED Ingo... This man didn't treat any of the animals with the respect they deserve... and she could feel that his dislike was not only aimed at the animals and Taro, but also at Malon and her father. The fear that he would get kicked out of the ranch was the only thing that kept him from venting his wrath on them.

Then, the little filly heard the creaking of the main building's door. Malon was coming outside. When she entered the horse pasture, Epona greeted her with an excited whinny.

"Hello there," Malon smiled at her friend. "Lively as always, Epona? I'm glad to see it."

Epona rubbed her snout against Malons face. The girl giggled. Then, the foal came close to her little belt pouch and sniffed.

"Oh, what was that? You said you're hungry, did you?" Epona whinnied and nodded. Malon giggled and took several sugar lumps out of her pouch, which she fed to the energetic little horse.

Suddenly, she heard voices:

"Are you SURE this is the way to Death Mountain?" a girl's voice asked. "Because it doesn't look like it..."

"I guess we shouldn't have tried following Ryoga..." another girl sighed. "He's a nice guy, but I know his sense of direction is absolutely horrible..."

"I... could've sworn this was the way to Kakariko..." a low, grumbling voice said. "I only followed the sounds of the Cuccos..."

"Ryoga... Kakariko isn't the only place with Cuccos, you know?" a second boy replied.

"He could have easily sent us to the Zora River," another girl said, her voice accompanied by a weird jingle.

Epona whinnied and ran away from the strange group that was approaching them. Malon looked at the assembled kids in confusion... until her gaze fell onto the two green-clothed ones.

"Hey, I met you in town, right?" she said with a smile. "Hey there, fairy-boy, fairy-girl... who are your friends?"

"Don't call me fairy-girl..." Ukyo said with a frown.

Link chuckled. "Hello, Malon."

----

"Soon Hyrule will fall into despair..." the first old hag chanted.

"Soon the kingdom will plunge into chaos..." the second old hag chanted.

"..."

"COLOGNE!"

Annoyed, the third and eldest of the three Gerudo witches turned around on her flying broomstick. "What do you want?"

Angrily, elder Koume zipped through the room on her own broom and came to a stop in front of Shampoo's great-grandmother. "How can we finish the rituals for Lord Ganondorf's honor if you don't play your part?" the fire sorceress flared up in anger.

Cologne stared back at her unimpressed. "We still have plenty of time. Gathering all of the Spiritual Stones will take some time. Until then, we should concentrate on other, important matters."

"There ARE no such things!" Koume angrily yelled. "Guiding Ganondorf on his way to become the grandmaster of evil is the holiest of all things we ever did in our life... It's the ONLY thing we live for!"

"Certainly you don't plan on invoking his wrath, do you, elder Cologne?"

Cologne stared back at the two twins (both of whom were younger than herself). "I know that very well, you two... and you shouldn't forget that it was my idea to begin with. But I believe I'm the only one of us three that also thinks about the well-being of the rest of our tribe... How will the Gerudo rule over their new kingdom if they can't take care of their children?"

"Foolish sentimentalism," Koume bickered. "The Gerudo always have been a tribe of strong warriors... they can take care of themselves. And once the kingdom is ours, they won't have any more trouble."

"Well, as long as there is enough time left to care for my family, I prefer watching them every now and then..." the oldest elder stated. "And I would advise that you two try and remember about your children as well..."

And with these words, she steered her broom out of the temple's window and flew back to the Gerudo Fortress, where her great-granddaughter was waiting.

Kotake came flying over to her twin sister. "The nerve..." Koume muttered. "That old mummy seems to forget that raising the king of the Gerudos is the only thing we should worry about..."

"We should keep a watchful eye on her," Kotake pondered. "Who knows what kind of foolish craze might develop inside her senile old mind... It would be a shame if we had to replace her, Koume..."

----

"Elder Cologne!" The training Gerudo warriors saluted as the ancient hag came swooping down from the skies. "What an honor! Is there a reason for your visit?"

"Yes..." Cologne said and looked around. "I'm here to talk to my great-granddaughter..."

One of the guard captains let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, elder... But little Shampoo ran away this morning. She left her bedroom and sneaked past the guards..."

Cologne nearly fell off her broom. "What? AGAIN? That foolish child... How many times do I have to tell her that the world outside of our valley is much too dangerous for a child of our tribe..."

"Vice leader Nabooru went after her," the captain continued. "She believes that Shampoo might still follow her ideas of 'finding a suitable husband'."

Cologne rolled her eyes. Of course... that again! Sometimes, the ancient Gerudo witch wondered about that girl's sanity... A girl her age had much more important things to think about than finding a groom... Only when a Gerudo's body and battle skills have matured, she would be ready to head out into the world outside of the desert, so she can find a suitable husband to continue the strong line of the Gerudo tribe.

"Should we send additional warriors to get her back, elder?" another Gerudo asked.

Cologne shook her head. "No, that's fine... Nabooru is going after her, and I believe she can take care of everything. You should continue with your training."

The warriors saluted. "Yes, elder!"

----

"Ooooh yes, young Mr. Customer has been very strong fighter... Fell into cursed spring, but not before pushing own father down. Both father and son were best fighters I've ever seen..."

Shampoo grinned while listening to the tale of the Jusenkyo guide... she just had to meet that boy. From what she heard of his skills, he should be the perfect husband.

"Shampoo has to hurry and find pigtail-boy..." she said with a dreamy expression. "Shampoo has always dreamed of meeting strong male who is strong in body... not in magic, like stupid king..."

She giggled as she ran past the cursed springs, into the direction the young boy and his family have taken, according to the guide.

"Airen... you wait for Shampoo!"

----

Link chuckled as the wet nose of the young foal tickled his cheek. "Now, now..." he said. "That tickles..."

"I don't believe it," Malon gushed happily. "Epona finally warmed up to another person than just me..."

"Might have to do something with that song you taught him," Navi giggled as she sat on one of the fence's poles.

It was the next morning. Malon and her father had agreed to let them stay for the night.

It was a peaceful morning. While Ryoga was sitting among some Cuccos (the chickens were awfully friendly around him), Akane and Ukyo were taking a small stroll around the pasture.

"Sooo..." Akane said. "Umm... what's your relation to Link?"

"Well, were really close friends..." Ukyo started.

"Oh reeeaaally?" Akane snickered. "I see, I see..."

"N-not like that," Ukyo blushed fiercely. "We're really just friends... but we're as close as brother and sister, you could say... Both of us were outsiders in the Kokiri village. Also, I believe there's this other girl Link likes..."

"You mean Malon?"

Ukyo shook her head. "No, no. I mean a Kokiri girl that's also a good friend of mine. Her name is Saria, and she could be easily considered the most mature of us all."

"Mature?" Akane asked. "But I thought Kokiri didn't age...?"

"That's true, but that doesn't mean they can't age mentally and emotionally... In a sense, I consider Saria my 'big sister'. But her relationship with Link, now that's a different story..."

"I see..." the Sheikah girl nodded and sighed. "I guess I can sympathize... I also believe there's someone I like..."

Ukyo smiled reassuringly at her. "Hey, just don't give up hope, and your dreams will come true... that's what Saria always tells me."

"Thanks, Ukyo," Akane smiled. "You know, your friend Saria seems to be quite wise for a Kokiri..."

"Yo, Ukyo! Akane! We're leaving!" Link yelled from the ranch's main gate.

"I guess we should go," Ukyo smirked. "We don't want to keep the boys waiting..."

Akane giggled.

----

"So, where to now?" Link asked as they all left the ranch.

"I think we should split up," Ukyo suggested. "That way we can save some time and get both Spiritual Stones at once... we can also make sure that Ganondorf doesn't get his hands on any of them."

"Good idea," Tatl nodded. "But may I suggest that each group should consist of one Kokiri and someone else? I mean, Ukyo and Link are the princess' messengers, after all..."

"That might actually be the best," Akane agreed. "Okay... while Ryoga may not have the best sense of direction - no offense, Ryoga - he has many friends in Goron City, so perhaps he should be the one to accompany one of you two to Death Mountain..."

"Okay, then I'll go with him," Ukyo decided. "I've always wanted to see the mountains..."

Akane nodded. "Okay... my mother told me that the Zoras - the aquatic race of Hyrule - have the Spiritual Stone of Water, so I guess Link and I have to go to Zora's Domain."

"Sounds good to me," Link grinned.

"W-wait a minute..." Ryoga protested. "C-can't I go with Akane?"

"Think about it, Ryoga," Akane said. "We're going to the Zora Domain... a kingdom of water. Do you really believe that would be the best place for a Goron like you? Besides, Tatl is right... as Zelda's messengers, Ukyo and Link should be accompanied by each of us."

Link patted his new friend on the shoulder. "Don't worry..." he grinned. "I'll watch out for her."

Ryoga thought about what Nabiki had told him and hesitated. "I dunno..."

Link noticed the Goron's worries and looked at him firmly. "Hey look, I promise: Nothing will ever happen to her, I swear... or else the Deku Babas shall get me!"

Although he still was uneasy about this, Ryoga realized how serious Link was about his vow and nodded. Hopefully, the princess was right with putting that much trust into those forest children...

----

BOOM!

"Man, this is boring..." Happosai yawned as he blew up the 14th Dodongo. "I already explored the entire cave, and I found no other exit... and I STILL can't lift that cursed boulder in front of the exit. Dang, I don't wanna blow up those stupid lizards all the time..."

With teary eyes, he looked at the remains of his beautiful collection. "But did those Fire Keese have to burn my darlings all up? Now I need some new underwear... but how am I supposed to find some if I'm stuck in here? WHAAAAAAAAH! Life is so unfair..."

He sniffed. "Curse you, you stupid Dodongos... couldn't you at least have attractive females? And you're all so pathetically weak... I need a good opponent to unwind a little bit."

That's when suddenly, the ground collapsed under the feet of the ancient martial arts pervert, and he plunged down into a deep cave...

Landing next to a scorching hot pool of lava, Happosai carefully looked around the circular cave. "Now where am I?"

Without any warning, heavy footsteps coming from behind him made the ground shake.

Happosai turned around... and came face to face with the biggest, ugliest and scariest Dodongo he had seen.

Well, actually, his face was much closer to the ground than that of the massive dinosaur, but you get my point...

King Dodongo let out a deafening bellow as he stared down at the tiny human that had dared to come into his lair.

Happosai smirked. "Now, now... This should be interesting."

----

The Zora watchman gasped in surprise as he saw his queen approaching the entrance of Zora's Domain, hidden behind the waterfall.

"Q-queen Nodoka?" he stuttered. His gaze fell on the big bear and the little Zora girl standing next to Nodoka, looking sullenly at the ground.

Nodoka smiled at him. "Please, go and tell the king we'd like to have a formal meeting arranged... I'd like to make an introduction."

"Uh, right away, my lady..." The gaze of the blue-scaled merfolk fell on the winged bear. "Um, my lady... about that bear..."

The queen smiled. "Oh, don't worry, he's tame! He's the pet bear of my first-born daughter... Ranko!"

The male Zora gasped in surprise. "F-first child?" he asked in surprise. Instantly realizing that this girl was his queen's daughter and therefore also royalty, he quickly bowed in front of the girl, who didn't seem to be very impressed at all.

"I'll... I'll go and tell His Majesty right away," the guard said and elegantly jumped through the waterfall.

'Ranko' blinked. "The entrance is behind the waterfall?"

Nodoka smiled down at her daughter. "Don't worry, Ranko... you'll get used to your new form. Water is a Zora's natural element and you'll love the feeling of flowing water running over your smooth scales..."

Ranma cringed upon hearing her mother call her 'Ranko', but accepted her fate with a sigh... After all, in a sense, she WAS Ranko now...

'That doesn't include bears, does it?' Genma signed with a growf. 'And you know how wet fur stinks...'

"Just 'bear' with it, husband..." Nodoka grumbled. "There are many worse things than wet fur... like, a nice, sharp katana, for instance...?"

Genma gulped and raised another sign: 'I'll be good...'

----

The Zoras that were assembled within the throne room waited in anticipation. Agitated murmurs were audible, and the honor guard of King Zora - two male Zora warriors armed with harpoons - were flanking the entrance.

Princess Ruto stood next to the chubby form of her father, fidgeting nervously with her fins. If what the guardian had told them was true, then she had an elder sister... and she would meet this sister in several minutes.

If her father was agitated in any way, he certainly didn't show it. Relaxed like always, the king just goggled at the entrance, his big, fish-like eyes never blinking once.

And then, she shell horns heralded the arrival of the guests of honor... The queen of the Zora kingdom and her previously unbeknown daughter, Princess Ranko...

Ruto went stiff when she saw her mother entering the room, clutching the hand of a Zora girl that was slightly older than her. From what Ruto could see, this girl had a trim and fit body, and she promised to become as beautiful as her mother as soon as she would reach adulthood (the same thing that Nodoka had often told Ruto).

Actually, most of the Zora could see the similarities between the two princesses... Ranko was older and slightly bigger than Ruto, and she didn't have an extensive head like her younger half-sister, but a tiny fishtail dangling from the back of her head... but no one could deny the fact that there were many similarities the two girls shared with their mother...

Finally, Nodoka and Ranko came to a stop in front of the throne. Ranko seemed to be very uncomfortable, as she desperately tried looking down at her wet feet.

"Honorable Zoras..." Nodoka spoke. "My beloved husband and king... and Ruto, my youngest daughter... I hereby introduce to you the daughter of my first husband, and according to Zora laws, your second princess: Princess Ranko!"

The Zora applauded. Ranko shuffled around nervously as she looked around the assembled fish-people.

Then the king replied in his gurgling bass voice: "Welcome back, my beloved wife and queen. I'm very happy that you managed to find your first daughter." He looked down at the young girl. "I also welcome you, Ranko... Surely, I can imagine it will be pretty demanding for you to accept your new status as a princess... but I can assure you, you have the support from all of us. Don't see your title as a burden... but instead see it as a chance for a new beginning, a chance for you as well as for the Zora of this kingdom."

He made a dramatic gesture with his stubby little arms. "May Nayru's wisdom be with you!"

Enthusiastic cheering from every Zora commenced.

----

After the formal introduction, most of the Zoras left the throne room.

While King Zora looked down at his stepdaughter with gentle eyes, Ruto came walking down the stairs of the throne to stand in front of Ranko.

Nodoka smiled and gently pushed her older daughter forward.

Ranma was very edgy... not only was she a man pretending to be a girl, she also had entered a new, previously unknown culture... and was automatically accepted as their new princess.

But regardless of that, she took some steps forward and gave the younger Zora girl standing in front of her a cute smile.

"Um... hi there! I'm Ranko... wanna be friends?"

At first, Ruto had stared at the other girl with a nervous expression... but now, her mouth widened in a broad smile, as she jumped forward to embrace Ranko in a big hug.

"BIG SIS!" she shouted. "Welcome to the family..."

The king and queen looked at each other and smiled. That went pretty well.

Ranma smiled as she hugged her little sister back. True, such a close contact with a girl wasn't what she would do under normal circumstances (and the fact that Ruto was completely nude was an additional issue)... But somehow, it felt good keeping her arms around this other girl, knowing that she was a part of her family.

Ruto sighed as she looked up into her 'oneechan's' face... She had always wished for a big sister... and today, her wish had come true.

----

"So, this is Kakariko village, huh?" Ukyo asked as she looked around the peaceful huts and houses.

Ryoga nodded. "Yes, it's the last Hylian settlement before Death Mountain... Akane told me her Mom was the one who founded this village. Originally, it was meant as a resort for all the people who don't have a home. But I think the village is not quite complete yet..." He gestured towards a construction site, where a burly carpenter and his men were working on a half-finished house.

Ryoga quickly told Ukyo and Tatl about the other landmarks of the village: The windmill, the old well and the graveyard.

"The graveyard is the resting place of the villagers... but also of the royal family. Dampe, the gravedigger, is a loyal follower of Impa and the royal family."

"Sounds like an interesting place," Tatl replied. "But let's not go to the graveyard, okay? I have no intention of visiting a place with so many... dead people lying underneath my feet (shudder)."

Although Kakariko was certainly a nice place to visit, they tried not to waste too much time and walked through the village quickly.

"The faster we reach Goron City, the faster we can get that Spiritual Stone," Ukyo said. "Tell me, Ryoga: Your home town... what's it like?"

"Well, it's been some time since I've been there. But I think it's a nice place to live - at least for us Gorons." He smirked. "I guess for a forest girl like you there would be too less green... we don't have any trees or something similar up there."

"Sounds pretty sad," Ukyo had to admit. "I mean, are there no plants at all? Only the bleak rocks?"

"Hey!" Ryoga sounded a little offended. "Rocks are everything for my tribe. We couldn't survive without the special Rock Sirloin lodes within Death Mountain. Sure, we can eat other rocks... but every now and then, we need the special constituents of good ol' Death Mountain minerals." He proudly patted the hard backside of his body. "It's what keeps our skin as tough like it is."

"Sorry," Ukyo said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to insult you. I mean, it sounds pretty different from what I'm used to..."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Ryoga nodded. "But there ARE some plants growing up there. Especially our 'special crop'."

"What's that?" Tatl asked intrigued.

"Bomb Flowers," Ryoga explained. "Interesting little plants that have the properties of bombs... Pick one up and after a short while, it will explode. They're very handy if we want to dig through some rocks that are just too hard for even our solid fists."

Ukyo nodded, while her head was spinning. Life on Death Mountain sure sounded very different from what she was used to in the Kokiri Forest.

"You know, for a tough guy like you, you know pretty much," she grinned while they approached the outskirts of the village.

Ryoga grinned back. "Well, I used some of my travelling time to study about the different places and races living throughout Hyru..."

SPLASH!

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry!" the old woman with the ladle said from where she was sprinkling her lawn. "I didn't see you there, honey."

Ukyo shook the water out of her hair. "It's all right, don't worry about... Ryoga?"

A nervous chirp coming from the ground attracted her attention.

Puzzled, she looked down... and saw a small Cucco chick hopping up and down next to her feet. And around the neck of that Cucco, she saw... a yellow, black-spotted bandana.

"No way!" she gasped. "Ryoga?"

"Aaaawwwww..." a female voice suddenly said. "What a cuuuuuute lil' Cucco..."

A pair of slender hands picked up the confused little chick, and the village girl nuzzled him against her cheek. "Is that your little friend?" she asked Ukyo.

"Um... yeah, you could say that," Ukyo replied.

She took a closer look at the other girl. She had dark hair with pink bangs and a very sweet face. She was clothed in a blue dress and a brown vest.

"Sorry I just scooped up your little pet like this," she smiled. But I just loooove Cuccos... and I absolutely adore Cucco chicks." She stretched out her hand. "I'm Akari Unryu... I'm the caretaker of the village's Cuccos."

Ukyo shook Akari's hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ukyo, and this is Tatl."

"Heya!" Tthe yellow fairy waved.

Akari waved back and was just about to say something, when suddenly, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

"A... a... aaaaaa... A-CHOOOOOO!"

Ryoga tweeted and fluttered his tiny wings in panic, as he was blown through half of the village.

Akari sniffed and rubbed her nose. "Yeah, and I'm allergic against feathers, too..."

----

"So..." Ranko said. "This Jabu-Jabu-thing... what's wrong with it?"

They had all settled down on the stone seats within the throne room. The water from Zora's Spring came flowing from behind them and gently splashed against their backsides, while it was flowing down along their legs.

King Zora and Ruto seemed shocked about Ranko's choice of words. "Mind your mouth now, child," the king stuttered, while Ruto looked more like she was impressed by Ranko's boldness. "Lord Jabu-Jabu isn't a 'thing'... he's the protector of the Zora and all the water that is flowing through Hyrule. As a Zora, you should know that." He shook his round head. "I wonder how that father of yours could raise you without teaching you those fundamental things..."

Nodoka coughed. "Well, Genma has always been... slack, regarding the education of our child." She threw the winged bear that was sitting on the dry platform within the room an icy glare.

'Mr. Moosh' just raised his usual sign: 'I'm just a cute winged bear...'

"Well, about Lord Jabu-Jabu..." Ruto started to explain. "You know, I'm his caretaker, and I've noticed an unusual behavior with him for several days now. He was always getting irritable whenever someone approached him. I could only calm him down by giving him his food."

"All of this started to happen after Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudo tribe, has visited our kingdom." King Zora wailed. "He ordered me to hand over our most sacred artifact to him, the Zora Sapphire... otherwise the consequences would be dire. Of course, I had to refuse - the royal family of Hyrule has assigned us with the safekeeping of this precious gem countless generations ago. Also, it has become an integrated part of our society..."

"Okay, I get it why you couldn't just hand it over," Ranko nodded. "But what I don't understand is why you came to get me, Mom. What can I do in such a situation?"

Nodoka continued to explain: "Well, after my anticipation that Ganondorf has planted a curse upon Lord Jabu-Jabu, I went to the fairy spring behind his domain and asked the Great Fairy that is living there for guidance. And she gave me some sort of prophecy as an answer:

'Soon, the child of destiny will arrive, his fate fiercely entangled with that of the Zora princess... This child will tame the beast of the water and bring back peace to the kingdom of the waves.'"

"Wait a minute..." Ranko intervened. "And you just thought I would be that child? Is that it?"

"What else should we believe?" the king asked. "As only I and your mother knew of your existence, we were pondering about the possibility that you might be the one the fairy spoke of. After all, you are the child of the Zora queen, and the half-sister of Ruto."

Ranko looked grimly at her mother. "I hate to say this, Mom... but somehow, this all sounds to me like you're using this prophecy as an excuse to see me again."

"E-excuse me...?" Nodoka stuttered. Never before had she expected her child to react like this.

"I think you're misjudging your mother, young one," the king said sternly. "As much as she is overjoyed to see you again and we are glad that we finally managed to announce you as Ruto's elder sister, we still had to consider every last possibility. Surely you understand this, right?"

"Well... yeah, I guess so..." Ranko mumbled.

Ruto seemed a bit sad that Ranko seemed to resist her place within Zora society like this, but she supportively put an arm around her older sister's shoulder. "Don't worry, Ranko! Mom told me that you're very strong, and that you could help us. I mean, it can't hurt to try, right?" She smiled. "And if this 'destined child' turns out to be someone else, well... at least you can tell yourself you did your best."

"I suppose..." the other girl sighed. "All right... let's take a look at your 'protector'... then we'll see what we can do. But I seriously wonder what someone like me can do to calm down a whacked out tuna fish like this..."

"Child!" the king scolded. "What did I tell you about disrespecting Lord Jabu-Jabu?"

Nodoka just sighed and Ruto giggled. She could really get used to her new sister...


	5. A Zora Princess and a Dinosaur King

After showing Zelda's letter to the guard in front of the gate between Kakariko and the mountain, he let the two of them pass.

"Jusenkyo, huh?" Ukyo asked curiously as she and Ryoga were climbing the rough path leading up Death Mountain. "Sounds scary, somehow..."

"Yeah, from what the guide told me, countless beings have drowned in those springs..." the Goron nodded. "Too, too many drowned customers, as he put it. But, in my opinion, the true horror comes in form of the curses."

He shuddered. "Can you imagine how it is for a Goron? I mean, we are big, sturdy and can only hardly been physically injured. And then, I'll just turn into such a small, defenseless creature without any strength or natural weapons. Besides, my tribe's natural fear of water is the second reason why I abhor my curse..."

"I can imagine..." Ukyo nodded. "Especially when you're being assaulted by a monster... LIKE NOW!"

And with a powerful overhead swipe, she intercepted the pounce of the Red Tektite that was about to jump on them. The one-eyed, insectile creature let out a wail of pain and dissolved into whatever monsters are made of.

"You're quite the impressive fighter, Ukyo," Ryoga commented impressed.

The forest girl grinned as she put away her weapon. "Thanks. Shall we continue?"

"She's just cocky..." Tatl grumbled. "Hey, rock-boy... How much longer until we reach your city?"

Ryoga looked around. "Well, this looks familiar somehow..."

"Does that mean you remember?" Ukyo asked in a hopeful voice.

"Well, I mean: Goron City IS situated within the mountain, so one should expect this mountainous area to look familiar, right?"

Ukyo and Tatl both fell over from that remark.

"Geez," Tatl bickered. "What's the matter with you? I mean, seriously... Can't you even tell us if that rock over there looks familiar? Or that one? Or that? Or..." She scratched her head. "You know what, there aren't that many outstanding landmarks here, except for those rocks... I mean, somehow I can understand that you haven't got a good sense of direction."

"Perhaps..." Ryoga sighed. "But all the other Gorons don't have this problem, see?"

"Look, we really can't do anything else than just follow this mountain path," Ukyo pointed out. "So I'm willing to believe that this is the way we have to go."

"Could be..." Ryoga mumbled. "But, then again, you could also be wrong..."

"Aaaah, stop being such a worrywart!" Tatl screamed. "You're giving me a headache." And she sat down on a boulder.

Suddenly, the boulder moved. Tatl yelped in surprise and flew up.

"Hey, Ryoga," the rock said while he uncurled and turned out to be a friendly-looking Goron. "I haven't seen you for a long time now. Welcome back!"

"Hey there, Coro," Ryoga smiled and raised his hand in greeting. "Say, we're in a hurry and... well, you know... I've gotten myself lost again. Can you tell me the fastest way to Goron City?"

"Of course," Coro replied. "After all, the only way that leads up the mountain is also the same way that leads directly to Goron City. So you can't really miss it."

Ryoga looked confused. "Well, if you say so... But damn, I could've sworn we've already gone too far and should go back. Are you SURE it's up there?"

"Man, Ryoga..." Ukyo groaned. "Do you HONESTLY want an answer for that?"

Ryoga stayed silent, expecting a trick question.

"Never mind," Ukyo said. "Just follow me... Hey, thanks for the help, Coro! Good to see that there are some Gorons that actually CAN be of a help." She glared at her travel companion.

Coro chuckled. "Well, I can imagine it must be hard when travelling with Ryoga... But he's a great buddy, that's for sure. And our strongest fighter, even at his young age. Even Darunia has troubles defeating him sometimes. If you consider the fact that he is his mentor..."

"Darunia?" Ukyo asked Ryoga. The bandana-clad Goron nodded. "Yeah, he's our chief and the keeper of the Spiritual Stone. Since my parents died early, he was the one that raised me like a son. He also taught me to fight, even the rock-breaking technique his ancestors have developed: The 'Bakusai Tenketsu'."

"Hey, can we get moving now?" Tatl whined impatiently. "I wanna reach the city before nightfall. Who knows how many Tektites will come out at night."

"Okay, okay, stop your whining," Ukyo replied. "Bye, Coro! And thanks again!"

"See you later!"

----

Goron City was a massive cave that had been dug into Death Mountain by skilled Goron diggers countless years ago. The middle was a massive shaft, with numerous slopes and corridors adjoining to its walls, heading down to its bottom. At the bottom stood an impressive monument, looking like a giant stone vase with various Goron faces etched on its surface. The entrances to the elder's chamber and the Goron shop were also at the bottom of the shaft.

Ukyo was surprised how friendly all the Gorons were when she and Ryoga entered the city, every single one of them seemed to have a playful smile etched on their faces.

Another interesting fact was that she couldn't see too many female Gorons, so that raised several questions...

But, as she was 'adopted' by the Kokiri (a tribe that has always been kinda naive about the reproduction of the 'bigger' species'), she didn't think too much about it.

"Do they have some Deku Seeds in the shop?" Ukyo asked. "My slingshot could need some ammunition..."

"Sorry," Ryoga shook his head. "The only plant-based wares that MIGHT be available are Deku Sticks... and they will probably much more expensive from what you're used to. I told you, there aren't many plants up here. The only things we can use to produce some goods are rocks, metal ore, bomb flowers and various enemy hides. For example, our Bomb Bags are made of Dodongo stomachs."

"Well, perhaps I'll buy one..." Ukyo sighed. This was indeed a totally different world... "But first, let's visit your elder... you said he has the Spiritual Stone, right?"

"Yeah, the Goron Ruby," Ryoga replied. "As with the Zora Sapphire, the royal family of Hyrule has entrusted this gem to one of their allied races, so they should watch over it."

"And... do you think this Darunia will be willing to just give it to us?" Tatl asked.

Ryoga scratched his head. "Well... he can be stubborn at times, but which Goron isn't? He has a soft spot inside that hard body, but sometimes, it's hard to see. Let's just hope he's in good moods..."

"CURSES AND DAMNATION, CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?" a bellowing voice echoed up from the bottom of the shaft. "NOW WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO BLOCK THE PORTAL TO THE LOST WOODS WITH BOULDERS?"

Ryoga sighed. "And that would be him..."

Ukyo grimaced. "Doesn't sound like he's in a good mood, huh?"

----

They went down to the door of Darunia's chamber... and found it locked. Ryoga shrugged and pounded against the massive stone door with his fists. "Yo, Darunia! It's me, Ryoga! Can I come in? I brought a delegate from the princess."

"So, you're finally home for once?" the gruff reply came from behind the door. "Took you long enough, you rolling stone. And if whoever you brought with you is really an emissary, he or she better prove it. Because I'm fed up with talking to beggars and peddlers who always come to me."

Ukyo grimaced. "Now what? I can't show him the letter through this thick door, and I really can't play as good as Link, so the song's out of the question, too... Besides, I don't even have an instrument."

"Don't worry," Ryoga smirked. "Leave it to me." And from out of his backpack, he produced a small drum.

"Now, how did this song go again...?" he murmured, and then began hitting the drum with his hands.

Darunia seemed to listen. "Well, that certainly sounds like the royal family's song... All right, you can enter! But you two better not waste my time, got it?"

Ryoga grinned. "See? You can leave everything to me."

Ukyo was impressed. "I didn't know Gorons would know how to play music..." she muttered under her breath. "But, for someone who only plays a small drum, Ryoga really knows what he's doing."

The heavy stone door slid aside, and the two of them entered the cave chamber of the Goron leader.

Darunia was a big, powerful Goron with a scrubby beard. Like most Gorons, he didn't wear any clothes, and some strange tattoos looking like pawprints were visible on his upper arms.

He stared down at Ukyo with an angry glare. "A child??" he instantly bellowed. "Oh, for the love of... Ryoga, when I heard the song, I thought you brought me some strong warrior who can finally get rid of our problem. And now everything I see is a little girl? Curses and damnation!!"

"Hey, hey, calm down, big one!" Ryoga tried to compose his chief. "Yeah, she is a girl... and what of it? She's a stronger fighter than most of the Gorons I've seen, except for you and me. You wouldn't believe how many Tektites she bashed up with that giant spatula of hers."

"A cooking utensil as a weapon?" the Goron leader huffed. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard in my life. So, and this little thing is supposed to be an emissary of Princess Zelda? Hah! Hah! Hah! Don't make me laugh!"

Ukyo slowly started to lose her patience. "Now wait just a second," she snapped. "I might be smaller than most of you rock-dwellers, but at least I know how to behave myself. I came on behalf of the princess to ask you for the Goron's Ruby, and everything I hear are insults."

Darunia rubbed his chin. "You know what, girl? I like your guts. The Goron Ruby, eh? Well, I suppose there's a good reason you wanna have it, but I can't just give it to anyone, you know?"

He began pacing up and down his room. "You wanna know why I've got such a bad mood? I'll tell ya: The entrance to Dodongo's Cavern is blocked, my people are starving and some fools blocked the portal leading to the Lost Woods with boulders. In addition, I'm worried about my bumbling little protege and can't sleep because I don't know whenever he will come back."

Ryoga groaned. That, he didn't need to hear...

Then, he frowned. "What do you mean? Dodongo's Cavern is blocked? Since when? And why didn't you open it?"

"You mean you didn't know?" Darunia asked in surprise. "You should have noticed when you came past the entrance on your way up here. It's not like the big boulder is easy to miss..."

Ryoga thought about it. "Well, now that I think about it, that area looked pretty familiar..."

"And besides, I already gave the order to blast it open. But our stock on bombs is too low, we can't waste them on blasting this rock when we can do the same with some bomb flowers."

"And why didn't you use the bomb flowers, then?" Tatl asked.

"Because those blasted plants always explode before we can get them down there. My boys tried it many times, but just when they're about to reach the blocked cave... BOOM! To make matters worse, the ancient Dodongo dinosaur tribe that was supposed to be extinct suddenly appeared within the cave. Even if we were to find a way to remove the boulder, we still would have to get rid of those infernal reptiles first."

He sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore... If we don't find a solution quickly, our people will starve. You know, the most tasty rock sirloin lodes are within that cave, and if we Gorons don't eat some of it regularly, our armored backsides will turn soft and unprotected, and at the same time, we will slowly starve... while we can eat any type of rock, we need the precious nutrients from the rock sirloin, every now and then..."

Ukyo thought about it. That really sounded like a big problem... Perhaps she should act like the Great Deku Tree Had taught the Kokiri: 'Help others, and they might help you.'

"Okay," she finally nodded. "Here's my suggestion: I'm gonna find a way to get rid of that rock, go in there and kick some Dodongo butt. If I manage to drive them out of there, you'll give us the Goron's Ruby, okay?"

Darunia smirked. "I don't know how you wanna do that, girl, but I can only say it again: I like your spunk. All right, it's a deal, then. And to help you, I'll give you this..."

He went to one of his tables and took a small bracelet from it. On its surface, Ukyo could see the very same emblem that adorned the Goron's upper arms: A pawprint.

"With this bracelet, even a tiny squirt like you can pick up bomb flowers... this should help you. And Ryoga... you'll go with her, right?"

"You bet I will!" the young Goron grinned.

Darunia nodded in satisfaction. "Well then... I'll leave it to you. Good luck, and come back in one piece, you hear me?"

Ukyo held up the bracelet against the light to inspect it closely.

"Da-da-da-dunnn..." Tatl exclaimed. "You got the Goron's Bracelet. With it, you can pick up heavy stuff like bomb flowers."

Ukyo threw her fairy companion a sidewards glance. "Now why did you just say that?"

Tatl shrugged. "Dunno... I just felt like it."

----

"AKANE TENDO! Where are you, servant? Show yourself this instant! My chambers are a mess and I need you to clean them up."

Kodachi, princess of the Hyrule kingdom, stomped angrily down the castle corridor, shouting for her personal guardian.

When the black-haired princess came past the door of her sister's bedroom, Zelda looked outside. "Kodachi, what's with this racket? I'm trying to concentrate here. Those meditation lessons Impa is giving me aren't easy, you know? Now tell me what's the matter with you."

"With me?" Kodachi nearly shrieked. "You mean, with that disobedient servant Akane! I need her to perform a task of outstanding urgency, and she just doesn't show her pitiful face."

"Kodachi, didn't you hear? Akane left the castle this morning to help an agent of mine with an important mission."

"She... she WHAT?? Sister, how could you? Don't you have your own servants for this? What am I supposed to do now? Surely you don't expect me to clean up my room by myself, do you?"

"Princess Kodachi..." Impa carefully said, as she appeared behind her protege. "This mission is extremely important and my daughter was just the best person we could find. Also, I don't mean to intrude, but... surely she has deserved better than being just a servant. I mean, she has been assigned to be your bodyguard, not your chambermaid."

"How DARE YOU?" Kodachi snapped. "You better keep your opinion to yourself, servant, or I'll make sure my father will be informed about this! And just what do you think you're doing, interrupting the conversation between two members of royalty?"

The spoiled princess huffed and turned around on her heel, never looking back once as she angrily stormed off.

"Sister, where are you going?" Zelda asked.

"I'm going to find my dear Captain Mikado-sama... Surely he will help a miserable maiden in distress..."

When Kodachi had vanished behind the corner of the corridor, Impa bent down to Zelda and whispered: "I wonder if the punishment for spanking a spoiled brat like her will be worse than what I have to endure by listening to her..."

Zelda giggled. "Impa, you're terrible..."

----

"By Din's flame..." Kodachi grumbled. "Can't a princess get any attention here? Mikado-sama, where are you when I need your assistance...?"

When she came past the door of the guestroom, she heard voices. Kodachi hesitated. This was where that barbarian king, Ganondorf, was staying. But... did she just hear the voice of the chancellor's son in there as well?

"My lord, I do not know what you mean..."

"Come on, my boy," the desert king's deep voice replied. "I've seen it in your eyes: You deserve more than just being a simple guard in this castle, and you know it."

For a moment, there was silence.

"I... I never understood why my father did appoint that... that upstart Mikado to be captain of the guards, and not me. And the king... I cannot understand his decisions, either. Why should the Sheikah be the guardians of the royal family? They can't be trusted. They're a bunch of back-stabbing devils that prefer sneaking around in the shadows than showing their faces in broad daylight. What for, if not to hide their true intents? Truly, a boy of noble blood would be much more fitting to be the loyal bodyguard of a fair maiden such as Princess Zelda."

"Too true, my boy, too true... But, let me ask you a question: What would you do if I tell you that I know of a way how you could gather all the respect that has been denied to you for all your life?"

"Lord Ganondorf... you are a noble soul. A proud warrior, and certainly a more trustworthy person than my foolish father. Please, I beg of you: Show me your ways of success, and I'll pledge myself as your loyal servant for my entire life."

'That stupid boy...' Kodachi thought to herself. 'What does he expect from that barbarian?' But she pressed her ear even closer to the wooden surface of the door.

"I'll offer you not only a way to become famous all over Hyrule, but also a life filled with luxury... and without your father."

"I'm ready! What shall I do?"

Kodachi could almost hear Ganondorf's sly grin. "Bring to me... the Ocarina of Time!"

Kodachi let out an inaudible gasp.

Tatewaki seemed to be taken aback. "My... my lord... What are you demanding? The Ocarina of Time is the most sacred treasure of the royal family, hidden well within the castle's treasure rooms. Only members of the royal family themselves are allowed to touch it."

"I know that," Ganondorf replied. "But as you know, I have pledged alliance to the king, and I only want the best for his kingdom. I could even cast a special spell that would protect the castle from future intruders."

"You... you're a sorcerer?" Kuno gasped.

"That's one way to put it, but I am much more than that. When I create that barrier, no one would ever be able to enter the castle without the permission of the king. But sadly, I need a powerful artifact for that, one that at the same time is also the personal property of the king. And the Ocarina of Time is the one item that fits this description the best, does it? And I'm sure the king would have offered me to use the Ocarina if it would be allowed for someone like me to touch it."

He stared into the boy's eyes. "You must believe me that I only want the best for the kingdom of Hyrule... I would never ask you to do something like this if I wouldn't believe that it is necessary. You now, I heard about rumors that the Zora tribe isn't as loyal to the king as he would like to believe... People say that they are planning to take over this kingdom. Surely you remember how there was once a war between the two races of the Zoras and the Hylians, do you?"

"Of course!" Tatewaki snarled. "I knew it all the time. Those creatures... I've never trusted them. It was just a matter of time before they would forget the mercy the royal family has shown to them by sparing their feeble existence."

"Yes," Ganondorf nodded. "And that is not all. I'm afraid my scouts have confirmed that none other than the Sheikah are conspiring with the Zora. They plan on opening the gates for them, so they can storm the castle."

"Those... those bastards!"

"You see now, son, that we have no time to think about ethics? I need the Ocarina of Time if I am to cast that spell. Unnecessary bargaining would just cost us valuable time. Only inside my barrier, the castle will be safe from the Zora's assault."

"I... I understand!" Tatewaki knelt down on the floor. "Do not worry, my lord... I shall bring the Ocarina to you, I swear it by my honor as a member of the noble Kuno family..." He gritted his teeth. "Indeed, my father has done much to dishonor our family... I shall cleanse the Kuno name of everything he has done."

"Very good, boy," the desert king nodded. "I knew I could count on you."

When the young soldier left the guestroom, the black-haired princess quickly hid behind some curtains.

After Kuno had left, Kodachi gasped in surprise... a dark-skinned hand was brushing the curtains aside.

"Ga... Ganondorf!"

"Greetings, Princess Kodachi," the Gerudo smirked. "I guess we have much to discuss... would you care to join me within my chambers?"

----

"Really?" giggled Ruto.

"Yeah," Ranko snorted. "And then I said to that Stalfos: 'Hey, I got a BONE to pick with ya! Get it? Bone!"

The water tunnel echoed with the laughter of the two Zora girls.

For a while, Ranma forgot that he was walking through a wet tunnel, and through flowing water that came up to his ankles. He also didn't mind that he was a girl and a Zora... He just enjoyed a few moments of fun, together with his new-found sister.

Nodoka, who was walking behind them, couldn't suppress a smile. "See, Genma?" she asked. "I knew it would be a great idea letting Ranma meet my little daughter..."

'Well, okay, he looks happy...' the winged bear signed with a frown. 'But I hope the boy doesn't start to forget about his training, that would be a fine kettle of fish...'

"Genma, spare me your lame puns..." the queen groaned.

They stepped out of the water tunnel and reached Zora's Spring, the source of all water within Hyrule.

In front of them, behind a small stone platform, was a massive pool of water, enclosed by a towering ring of stone walls.

And within that pool, Lord Jabu-Jabu was lying, the protector of the Zora race.

He looked like a cross between a giant fish and a small whale, with many ornaments that decorated his backside, and a massive mouth that was pointing in their direction. As soon as the sacred beast saw his 'visitors', he squinted his big, azure eyes and began thrashing around in the water.

"Please, Your Lordship, compose yourself!" Ruto tried calming the leviathan of the sea. But it was to no avail.

"See, Ranko?" Ruto said in a hopeless tone of voice. "No matter what I do, he just won't stop flailing. Only when he's eating will he stop."

"Well, I don't have to be an expert on whales to see that sumthin' is seriously wrong with that guy..." Ranko murmured. "Still, I don't know what I could do about it... I am a fighter, and no healer!"

"Ho ho ho ho ho ho!" a cackling voice echoed over the pool. "No one will be able to help this beast, my girl... Not you or anyone else!"

"Who's there?" Ranma shouted and they all looked up at the sky, where the voice was coming from.

An ancient hag dressed in decorated robes was floating above the flailing Jabu-Jabu, mounted on a flying broomstick. On her head, she was wearing a turban, with a red gem in the middle. She was also very ugly.

"The mighty Ganondorf's curse will slowly drive Jabu-Jabu insane, and then there's no one that will protect your tribe from his wrath. The water in all of Hyrule will dry up, until it will be as dry as our home desert..."

"A Gerudo witch!" Nodoka gasped. "That must be one of the elders of the desert tribe!"

"Exactly!" the hag cackled. "And you better hand over that Zora Sapphire very soon if you value your precious water."

"Fat chance!" Ranko snarled. "Just tell me something, granny: What will stop me from giving you a swift kick?"

Koume giggled. That child was very funny. "Oh, I surely won't stop you, my dear..."

Ranko smirked. She already gave up? Way too easy!

"But I'm afraid THEY will do it."

And with a wave of her hand, a large number of ugly heads rose out of the pond's waters. They looked like a cross of men and fish, but they didn't have the regal elegance of the Zora, but instead looked more like an ugly bunch of ruffians.

"Aqualfos!" Ruto gasped. "The deadly enemies of the Zoras!"

"Aqualfos?" Ranko asked. "Never heard of 'em, but they certainly don't look friendly."

"The Hylians often call them River Zora, but that's a mistake. In their own language, they call themselves Zola. But to set them apart from their own noble race, the Zoras have developed their own name for them: Aqualfos, because we think that they have more in common with the barbarian lizard tribe of the Lizalfos than with us."

"Well, I only know that this old ghoul seems to have some sort of control over them."

"Who's an old ghoul?" Koume yelled. "Hear me, my servants: Kill them!"

A few of the Aqualfos came out of the water and raised their hands, which were adorned with deadly claws. The other half stayed behind in the water and began shooting fireballs that came flying out of their mouths.

"Ruto, Mom! Stay back!" Ranko yelled and began jumping towards the submerged fishmen, while Genma tangled with the other ones in close combat.

Ranko bounced from head to head, dodging fireballs and occasionally dove under the surface, just to leap out of the water again, graceful like a dolphin. She attacked the Aqualfos with dive-kicks, underwater tackles and by throwing her elbow fins like boomerangs (a trick she had learned while traveling along the Zora River). In no time, all the enemies were defeated.

Ranko landed next to her old man, who just smashed the last Aqualfos with his mighty, um... behind.

"What now, old ghoul?" Ranko sneered. "Out of henchmen, out of tricks? Now why don't you just take whatever curse you put on that fish off him, and you can leave in one piece."

"Arrogant little brat," Koume cursed. "You're no match for a true sorceress of the Gerudo tribe!"

"You wanna hustle?" the young Zora asked. "Bring it on!"

Koume grabbed her broomstick, began floating in the air by herself and raised the broom like a scepter. "You... take this! KYYYAAAAAAHH!"

Ranko watched in surprise when the witch's turban suddenly turned into a blazing mane of fire, and out of her broom, a scorching lance of heat came flying in her direction.

'I have to get into the water, or I'm done for...' she thought and dove into the pond.

As the flaming beam hit the surface of the water, the pool instantly turned into a cauldron of hot-boiling soup. Ranma felt an intense pain like never before and came shooting out of the boiling water.

"YAAAAAH!" the pig-tailed boy in the loincloth screamed while bouncing around. "HOT! HOT! HOT!"

Ruto blinked. Where was Ranko?

"What is this foolishness?" the old witch grumbled. "How did you... wait a minute!" Out of her sleeve, she produced a glittering artifact that somehow resembled a magnifying glass, with a blue and purple shimmering surface.

She looked through it... and began laughing. "You..." she snorted. "You aren't a Zora after all. Bwahahahahah! You're just a little boy! So, Jusenkyo got to you, eh? Well, I guess you must have looked just like a wet fish after coming out of that cursed pool. Bwahahahaha-URK!"

Her laughing stopped abruptly, as Ranma came soaring through the air, and his right foot got embedded within her stomach. The massive force of the impact made her lose her grasp on her magical item, and both she and the Lens of Truth flew away from the scene, until they vanished out of their sights.

"Stupid old witch..." Ranma growled.

"R-ranko...?" a scared voice came from behind him. Ranma gasped, looked down at himself and then, turned around to look into Ruto's disbelieving face.

"I-Is that you?" the princess of the Zora tribe asked her brother with a shaking voice.

Ranma felt sorrow and despair building up upon his head. "Oh no..." he whispered. "No, no, no..." It just had been too good to be true.

Clenching his teeth, he looked away from the small Zora girl in front of him. "I'm sorry, Ruto..." he muttered. "But I guess we're just too different from each other..." And with an enormous leap, he jumped out of the stone ring.

"No!" Ruto shouted after him. "Ranko! Please wait!"

----

Meanwhile, in Kakariko village, Akari Unryu was just tending to her Cuccos, when suddenly, she heard a big splash.

She turned around. "Huh? Did something just fall into the old well? Or was it my imagination...?

----

Ranma was sitting on a ledge, looking over Zora River while the sun was setting.

And he, the boy who wanted to be the world's greatest martial artist, sobbed.

So close! It had been so close! After all that time with his father on the road, he had missed life with a real family. And now, when he got a chance, after rejoining with his mother and meeting his sister, this stupid curse had to ruin everything.

The curse... Ranma didn't know if he should detest it or love it. It was the only thing that had allowed him to stay close to his sister... But, at the same time, because of the curse, he could never hope of going back to her.

"She will hate me..." he murmured. "She will think I'm a freak of nature. A Zora that changes into a Hylian. A girl that changes into a boy..."

A sister that changes into a brother?

Ranma saw no way how she could possibly like a brother that wasn't even of her own species.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted, when he heard something. And he... knew those kind of sounds.

The sounds of someone making ki-powered jumps.

And right after he came to this conclusion, someone landed on a rocky pillar in front of him, a pillar that was rising out of the river.

The strange, lavender-haired girl could not be much older than himself... but she had the body movements of a fighter. Or at least of a fighter in training.

She looked over his body physique silently, until she nodded and exclaimed: "Boy."

Her behavior gave Ranma the creeps. "Who... are you?"

"Am Shampoo." She jumped over the distance between their two grass-covered platforms easily and landed in front of him. Ranma nervously backed off as she stared directly into his eyes. "Who you?"

Ranma sighed. "Who I am? I guess I'm a failure as a brother..."

The girl blinked, apparently not understanding. He shook his head. "Never mind... my name is Ranma."

"Ranma." She nodded, and jumped back to her stone pillar, where she went into a battle stance. "Fight?"

Ranma scratched. Obviously, this girl challenged him to a fight. And while she was still a young girl, she looked like she had been trained by a very good sensei.

He shrugged. Oh heck, why not? A good fight was just the right thing to distract his mind from unpleasant memories.

He went into the standard stance of the Anything Goes School and smirked. "Okay, show me what you got!"

Shampoo stayed quiet for a moment... and then, she leapt off the rock and flew towards him like a Keese on caffeine.

And when she attacked him with multiple punches and kicks, he had to do his best to fight back. Damn, this girl was good... The only times he had been pushed to his limits like this was when he was training with his old man.

Shampoo blocked one of his own punches, put her right foot on his shoulder and jumped up into the air. Ranma gasped when he saw her descending upon him like a living comet.

He dodged her attack just in time, and her heel dug itself into the ground next to him with a force that made tiny rocks fly through the air.

But by using this attack, she left herself wide open for a counterattack... and guessing from how her eyes widened, she had not assumed that this kick would have missed its target.

So Ranma did the only logical thing: He attacked her from her side, with a powerful kick of his own. The girl yelped and fell down into the river with a big splash.

Ranma went to the edge of the stone platform and looked down. After several seconds, Shampoo came jumping out of the water like a cannonball and flew in his direction.

Ranma braced himself, when she landed in front of him, as he assumed she wanted to continue her assault... but she did nothing like that.

She just looked at him for a while, then she said: "You win."

And then she came closer... very close.

Ranma was ready to freak out when suddenly, Shampoo leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Airen..." she whispered into the pigtailed boy's ear. "Wo ai ni..."

Ranma, not understanding the native language of the Gerudo tribe, could only stare as she backed off with a smile, turned around and jumped away.

After bouncing off the rocky pillar for a last time, she was gone.

"Now what the heck just happened?" Ranma wondered while rubbing his cheek.

----

C-C-R-R-R-RUUUUMMMMMB-B-B-BLLLLLE!

Ryoga smirked and pulled back his finger. "There! Now wasn't that easy?"

The Goron that had previously failed to bomb the entrance with a bomb flower gasped. "Amazing! I never thought of that. Well, then again... you and Chief Darunia are the only ones to know how to use that trick..."

Ukyo whistled. "Damn, Ryoga... that attack of yours is pretty amazing." To the other Goron, she asked: "Now, you wanna come with us in there?"

"M-m-me?" the Goron squeaked. "Are you c-crazy? I don't want some Dodongo eating me for lunch, thank you very much."

Ryoga grinned. "Well, not every Goron can be as strong and cool as me..."

"Don't flatter yourself, sugar..." Ukyo mumbled. "Now, let's get going! I'm really looking forward to see just how such a Dodongo does look like."

"Really?" Tatl muttered. "Well, not me..."

----

After walking through many caves and tunnels, the threesome entered a room with a pool full of scorching-hot lava.

"This is hot..." Ukyo wheezed. "How can you Gorons stand this heat?"

Ryoga shrugged. "Must've something to do with our hard skin... we can even walk through lava for a short time."

Tatl nervously peered around the room. "Watch your steps, you two... I've got a bad feeling about this."

With a gasp, she suddenly looked upwards and gave off an alarming tingle. "Look out!"

Ukyo drew her spatula and Ryoga raised his fists, when out of nowhere, two tall, scaly figures dropped down on the stone platform in the middle of the lava pool.

"Thisss musst be them," the first humanoid reptile hissed as it swung around its short sword menacingly. "That Gerudo witch wasss right."

"Ssso, you wanna take on that Goron or should I do it?" the second one asked.

The first one shook his head. "Naah, let'sss jussst take out the lil' girl firssst, then we can get rid of the ssstone-muncher together."

"Lizalfos..." Ryoga grumbled. "What are you scalefaces doing here? I thought this cave has been sealed off."

The taller of the two lizardmen laughed with his hissing voice. "Ssstupid Goron-kid... if thisss cave would have been sssealed off, do you think Kotake would have placed usss as guardiansss? She paid usss 20 rupeesss if we kill anyone that getsss inssside here."

"You're talking too much..." his companion grumbled. "Let'sss take them out quickly."

"So, the Gerudos are behind this, huh?" Ryoga said and frowned. "Looks just like them... Darunia never liked those thieves. Well, they must be really desperate to hire some losers like yourselves..."

Ukyo grinned. "And imagine, those goons didn't even notice that they've been imprisoned by that rock."

"That'sss it!" the taller Lizalfos roared. "Today I'm gonna have Kokiri ssstew!"

And he raised his sword high into the air while leaping over the lava. He swiftly brought his blade down... but Ukyo deflected it with her spatula.

She knocked him back. "You're not so tough... Who taught you to fight like this, a Deku Baba?"

Those words had the desired effect: The Lizalfos attacked her in a blind rage.

Meanwhile, the second lizard-warrior was circling around Ryoga. "I've never tasssted Goron meat before..." he said with an evil chuckle. "I suppose it's gonna be hard going through all that rocky skin, but I heard you're sssupposed to be quite the delicacy for Dodongosss..."

"Am I supposed to be impressed by that lame speech?" Ryoga asked. He wound up his right fist... and slammed it right into the ground. The shockwave made the Lizalfos stumble, and so Ryoga wasted no time on attacking him with iron fists.

The clash of steel between the other lizardman and Ukyo was still lingering, but Ukyo already knew she had won. By succumbing to his rage, the Lizalfos had allowed her to lure him towards the edge of the lava.

And now all she had to do was attacking him with a low sweep and...

"GRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGHHH..." The Lizalfos screamed horribly as he sunk down into the molten lava.

Ukyo looked over to where Ryoga was pounding on the second enemy, just to watch him knock the reptile out.

"Stupid lizards..." Ryoga muttered. "Always after some easy-earned money, but to let themselves being tricked like that..."

"I suppose the Gerudo made them guard this place just in case one of you Gorons would quickly find a way to remove the boulder... But I wonder why the Gerudo would be interested in blocking the entrance..."

"The Goron Ruby..." Ryoga muttered. "Has to be it. Somehow, I get the feeling Ganondorf did this to pressure my people... although Darunia would have never surrendered the gem to him. He hates the Gerudos with all his heart."

"Hey, I don't know about you guys, but my wings are slowly getting singed," Tatl complained. "So can we get moving already?"

"I suppose..." Ukyo nodded. "Man, who knew that those caves were so complex? And just where did all those monsters come from? I mean, seriously: Beamos, Armos, Fire Keese and now Lizalfos? I believe Ganondorf wanted to make sure that no one would ever reach the inner lair of the Dodongos..."

----

Ranma looked in the direction in which the strange girl had vanished in, then he sighed.

"I guess I better move on... Pops will follow me soon enough."

"RANMA!!" The female yell surprised Ranma and he turned around.

Zipping through the river's stream like a blue-shimmering arrow came Ruto, leaping out of the water like a dolphin and landing next to the young boy's feet elegantly.

After catching her breath, she looked firmly into her brother's eyes. "Please, Ranma, don't go!"

Ranma was taken aback. "How do you know my true name?"

She smiled. "Mom told me, silly... Now will you please stop this and come back with me?"

Ranma felt like yelling out loud. "B-but I'm not who you believe me to be. I'm not even a Zora. How can I be your brother? Don't you have some laws that forbid Zoras and Hylians to marry?"

Ruto sighed. "Ranma, please... don't make this harder than it is. Besides, it's not entirely true... But you know, most Zoras think it is a disgrace for a Zora to fall in love with a Hylian... even more so if this Zora is of royalty. My father used to think the same. From what he told me, he didn't know that Mom is really a Hylian at first... and of course he was surprised when he found out. But after seeing that Mom was still the same person, it didn't matter to him anymore. Of course they have to hide the fact that Mom is a Hylian woman, and that your father has been her first husband. But that doesn't change the fact that they still like each other.

And..." She ran up to Ranma and hugged him. "I think the same about you, big brother. You may not be a true Zora or a girl, but that doesn't matter to me. As long as I know who you are on the inside, I will always accept you. So please, don't do anything stupid and run away... I've been so happy with you. Please, stay!"

Those words made Ranma think. Wasn't she right? Didn't he always say the same to himself? No matter if he was male or female, Hylian or Zora, he was still the very same Ranma Saotome, a boy striving to become one of the greatest martial artists ever - and no curse would ever change that.

He hugged Ruto back. "I'm... I'm sorry if I worried you... little sis. And, if you can accept a brother just as a sister... then I'm glad to be your big bro."

"Oh, Ranma!" Ranma coughed while Ruto seemingly tried to crush his ribs. "Thank you! I'm so happy now!"

The two siblings (well, half-siblings, but that little fact didn't concern them now) stopped hugging each other and smiled.

"Well, now that that's settled, should we go back to Mom?"

Ranma chuckled. "I guess so..."

"Excuse me..." a voice startled them both. "Is this the way to Zora's Domain?"

Ranma and Ruto looked up to see a young boy dressed in the green clothes of a forest, and a girl in the dark garments of the Sheikah. The boy was also accompanied by a fairy.

"Sorry," the boy said. "We didn't want to interrupt anything, but... we seem to be a little lost."

----

KA-BOOOM!

Ukyo smirked as she hefted the bomb bag they found in the depths of the cavern, looking over the rubble that remained after blasting the boulders with the explosives.

"Well, I must say, those lovely bombs certainly come in handy."

"Yeah, I couldn't think of anyone better than you to use them," Tatl grinned.

"What do you mean by that?" Ukyo asked in a dangerous tone of voice.

The fairy giggled. "Well, aren't you the one with the 'explosive' temper?"

Ukyo frowned, then grabbed into the bag. "Careful, or I'll blow you up next."

Tatl sweat-dropped. "I don't think that will be necessary..."

"Hey, do we have the time for that?" Ryoga asked. "We may have defeated many Dodongos, but I won't be satisfied until we searched the very last corner of the cave... who knows how many of them are still waiting for us."

Ukyo shrugged. "We'll just take them out like we did with the others. I mean, seriously, they hardly were a challen... WHOAH!"

She almost stumbled down into a hole in the ground that looked like someone had created it with some bombs.

Tatl peered down. "Wow, it's getting even hotter down there... and I really don't know if we could get back up here if we fall down. Well, I could fly, but you two..."

Ryoga grimly looked down the shaft. "This is the last part of the cave we haven't checked yet. We have to make sure that the Dodongos stay out of here. I don't want my tribe to be doomed because of one little mistake."

He curled up into a ball and rolled down the shaft with a cry of: "GERONIMOOO!"

Ukyo and Tatl both groaned. "You know what they say: Gorons aren't quite the brightest bunch," Tatl muttered.

"Well, we can't let him do this by himself," Ukyo sighed. "Okay, I brought some rope... let's tie it around that boulder so we can climb up again after checking down there."

"Um, you think the rope is enough to carry Ryoga's weight?"

Ukyo smirked. "Well, I'll just climb up before he does."

Shortly after that, she slid down the rope into the massive cavern that was below the shaft.

She was lucky that the hole wasn't in the middle of the room's ceiling, as there was another pool of scorching hot lava in its middle.

Ukyo let go of the rope and landed next to Ryoga, on the narrow path leading around the pool. "Well, here we are," she said, not noticing that Ryoga wasn't looking at her, but at something behind her. "Found any Dodongos?"

Ryoga gulped. "You could say that..."

"Fine. How many? Three? Four?"

"No, actually, just one... and he's standing right behind you!"

Surprised, Ukyo jumped around, ready to whack the fire-lizard's tail like she did with its brethren.

When instead of a lizard's head, she saw a massive foot, she was confused. After a few seconds, she got the idea of looking up.

Right into the face of the Infernosaurus King Dodongo.

Ryoga laughed nervously while backing off. "A very, very big one..."

Ukyo also gulped. "Well, crud!"

Suddenly, a tiny shape flew through the air, bounced right off the massive beast's muzzle, smacked it to the side and jumped back.

"Don't just stand there, kiddos! Grab your explosives and get moving! You want that flame-breath to gobble all of us down for lunch?"

"Who are YOU?" Ukyo asked the shriveled up man that landed right next to her.

"Happosai, master of the Anything Goes School of martial arts," the man introduced himself. "I've been trapped inside this pit for two days now, and that stupid lizard just doesn't know how to keep his paws off me. Besides, I already used up all of my own explosives..." His eyes grew teary. "Right after my precious underwear collection had been burnt by those mean Fire Keese..."

Ukyo grimaced. "You're an old lech, right?"

"Ah, details, who needs 'em?"

King Dodongo let out a loud roar, followed by taking a deep breath.

"Perhaps you should save your nice conversation for later," Ryoga pointed out while rolling back into a ball. "I may have a thick skin, but you two should get the heck out of there, if you don't want to be burnt to a crisp."

"A wise suggestion, my boy," Happosai nodded. "See you later, girl..." And with another leap, he jumped over the giant Dodongo's back.

"That's not fair..." Ukyo whined, now certain that she was gonna die.

"What are you doing?" Tatl yelled. "Quick, take your bombs! You do know that Dodongos don't like them, do you?"

Quickly, Ukyo reacted and pulled a bomb out of the bag. She lit the fuse and hurled the little firecracker into the king's gaping mouth.

"Enjoy your meal, you creep!" she yelled.

On reflex, the Dodongo King swallowed whatever has landed inside his mouth. But only seconds later, the bomb's explosion made a really big mess inside his stomach.

Roaring in pain, the beast was clearly hurt more than from a regular stomach ache. But as his species were born to be resistant against volcanic heat, one single explosion wasn't enough to bring him down, even if that explosion came from within his tummy.

In anger, the dinosaur decided to curl his body up into a ball, similar to a Goron... and rolled towards the tiny girl of the forest.

"Get out of there!" Tatl yelled while zipping away. "He'll make you as flat as a pancake!"

But before Ukyo could react, Ryoga appeared in front of her. "I'll take care of the rest..." he grumbled. "That beast and his spawn have made my tribe suffer... and now I want to see him suffer!"

"What are you doing?" Ukyo shouted. "We'll both be squashed."

But Ryoga only smirked. "Hardly!" he said.

And then King Dodongo came. His enormous, intimidating form rolled towards them like an avalanche from the top of Death Mountain, but Ryoga welcomed him with his strong arms.

"I'll show you!" he yelled... and simply picked up the curled up dinosaur from the ground.

He got a good hold onto the beast's forelegs, spun him around several times... and then let him go!

The Dodongo landed inside the pool of lava with a big 'splash'. Ukyo yelped and jumped back, as a shower of ember came raining down near them. Meanwhile, the dinosaur has uncurled himself and tried getting back on the solid path around the pool, but his body was simply too heavy, and he was too hurt from the explosion inside his stomach.

After twitching a few times, his body grew limp and stiff, while the lava for some unknown reason cooled down and hardened around his body, trapping his corpse inside.

Ryoga knelt down on the ground, panting hardly. "There... that should... do it. Without their king... the Dodongos won't come back into the cavern..."

Ukyo was amazed. She knew Gorons were strong, but to hurl an enormous beast like King Dodongo into the lava pool like that...

Happosai approached the edge of the cooled down pool. "Good job, boy! Now, I guess I have to thank you for your help. Maybe you are interested in becoming my students?"

Ukyo shook her head. "No, thanks! I don't want to be the student of a lech!"

"Aw, come on! A few bras and panties, what's the big deal? It's not that I'm running around stealing the underwear from the women, you know?"

"Don't make me laugh!" Ryoga said while standing up. "I already heard about you. You're that pervert that always raids Kakariko village to rob their women's underwear, right?"

Happosai tried to look as innocent as he could. "How could you say that? I'm pretty sure that the women don't mind to give a nice, old man like myself what he's dreaming of..."

"Ryoga, let's get out of here before I puke, okay?" Ukyo muttered.


	6. The Innards of a Whale

Somewhat nervously, Kuno Jr. was walking through the corridors of the castle's basement. Every now and then, he looked around as if he was someone who was doing something wrong.

'It is for the good of the kingdom,' he continued to tell himself. 'I'm just following the king's interests. Lord Ganondorf would never betray us.'

Well, maybe his fool of a father would intervene, would he learn of what his son was up to right now, so a little alertness was advisable.

Then he approached the door to the treasure rooms, a complex of chambers and corridors underneath Hyrule Castle, each chamber containing a different kind of royal treasure. Every single treasure chest and artifact was protected by some trap, magical spell or some other means of protection.

As a high-ranking member of the royal guard, Kuno knew about most of those mechanisms, but there were still some rooms that had a very special protection, as the treasures inside were the most precious of the whole kingdom.

So was the Ocarina of Time.

Turning around the corner, Kuno brushed his insecurity aside and took on a regal posture, as he approached the two guards that were flanking the main entrance to the treasure rooms.

They both sprang to attention. "Lieutenant Kuno! What brings you down here today?"

While Kuno's rank wasn't that high, every soldier still respected him as a high member of nobility... the chancellor was his father, after all.

"I'm on a mission," Kuno simply stated. "Keep up your good work."

"Sir!" They saluted.

Just as Kuno was going to enter the door, a cool voice stopped him:

"My, my... Kuno-baby, what brings you down here?"

Kuno tried his best not to snarl while turning around. "Nabiki Tendo..."

"Oh, you remember my name," the middle of the Sheikah sisters mocked. "I'm so flattered... Now, I haven't seen you for a while. Whatever business could you have in the treasure rooms?"

"I don't need to explain myself to the likes of you," he snapped. "But I could ask you the same."

"Well, there's a pretty good reason for that, Kuno..." Nabiki interjected. "I'm on guard duty."

The nobleman stared. "YOU??"

"Well, yes. I don't want to bore you with all the details, so let's just say my mother and I had a little... disagreement, and so she assigned me to guard duty to - as she put it - 'better learn to attend to my duties as a royal servant.'"

"Indeed, you are a servant," Kuno grumbled darkly. "And as such, you have no rights to stop a member of nobilityike myself... Now, begone!"

Having said that, he believed the matter to be over and turned around to continue on his way.

But Nabiki wouldn't cave in just like that. "Not so fast, Kuno... You want me to talk to your father?"

This time the lieutenant DID snarl. "That... that was..."

Nabiki smirked. "Below the belt, I know. But still, I have to do my job, right? Now, what were you here for again?"

Tatewaki was torn. On the one hand, he quickly wanted to accomplish his task. On the other hand, he didn't want his father to suspect anything.

"I'm... on a secret mission."

"Oh? What kind of mission?"

"I can't tell you."

"Oh, really now? Maybe you forgot the 'guarding paragraph' number 36? 'Every person that enters the castle's treasure rooms, may it be servant or a member of the royal family, has to be accompanied by at least one guard. If anyone refuses to be accompanied, he or she may be denied access to the vault anytime, as he'she's likely to be a spy in dusguise.'"

Kuno cursed inwardly. 'Damn that Tendo brat and her smug manners.' But she was right, he had to follow the protocol, or else he would attract attention.

"Fine..." he grumbled. He gestured at the left soldier standing in front of the entrance. "Soldier, you accompany me."

"If I may..." the Sheikah girl interjected yet AGAIN. "I'd prefer to come with you myself... we wouldn't want to bother those guys because of such a trivial matter, right?"

"Why you..."

"My, whatever got you upset, Kuno? Was it something I said?"

Kuno tried to compose himself. 'Patience, Tatewaki, patience... as soon as Lord Ganondorf manages to show His Majesty the truth behind those back-stabbing Sheikah's plots...'

He forced himself to a sneer and even managed to do a mocking bow. "Well then... ladies first!"

Nabiki smiled. "Why, thank you, my lord!"

And while the duo was heading towards the chamber of the Ocarina of Time, Kuno could only seethe with fury.

'Damn, how am I going to take the Ocarina from its pedestal as long as that girl is watching me? Just you wait, Nabiki Tendo! You will be the first traitor to taste the wrath of the Blue Thunder!'

----

"Why do you want to go to Zora's Domain?" Ranma asked, cautiously.

Akane wanted to reply, then she took a look at Link. The boy from the forest seemed totally be fixated on the young Zora girl that had been talking to that pig-tailed boy previously.

Ruto was estranged. "Do I have something on my face?" she asked taking a step backwards.

Link just continued his staring. "What ARE you?"

'Way to go, Link, that's a nice impression to give to the Zoras,' Akane thought. "Link..." she said to him. "She's a Zora."

Link seemed amazed. "THAT's a Zora? WOW! And here I thought that term 'fish people' you used was just some sort of metaphor."

"You haven't answered my question," Ranma repeated. "What's your business in Zora's Domain?"

He couldn't explain it, but somehow he felt a certain... kinship to his mother's new tribe, even if he was still uncertain of his position. Therefore it was no surprise that he also felt protective of his new sister's home. Hopefully his new curse didn't affect his mind...

"What's it to you?" Akane snapped. She didn't like the tone of that boy. "You are not a Zora, are you?"

"Well, maybe I ain't, but my little sis... Um, I mean, my friend Ruto here just happens to be the PRINCESS of the Zora... so I guess you better explain yourself to her."

'Checkmate,' Akane grumbled under her breath. 'If that girl really is the princess, we better get on her good side.'

"Please, cut that out, Rank... Ranma." Ruto turned around and gave Akane a weak smile. "Sorry about this. Seems my friend doesn't trust strangers. But he's right, I am Princess Ruto, daughter of King Zora."

Akane gave the girl that looked like she was slightly younger than herself a short bow. "I apologize for my rudeness, princess... I am Akane from the Sheikah tribe, and this is my friend Link. We're ambassadors from Castle Hyrule and here with an urgent mission... and a message for King Zora."

"It's all right, you weren't rude at all," Ruto smiled. "I would be honored to escort you to my father's kingdom. Please, come this way... the waters of Zora River welcome you." So she stated the formal welcoming phrase of the Zoras to guests that weren't members of their tribe.

"I thank you," Akane said with another bow. Being raised at a royal court, she certainly knew how to behave in the presence of a princess... even if this young princess somehow seemed to be some sort of a tomboy. She mentally smirked. Maybe the two of them would get along just fine with each other...

When Link and Akane were going to follow the young princess, Ruto turned around and looked at her brother. "Ranma... are you coming, too?"

"Um... later, okay? There's still stuff I wanna think about. Tell Mom I'm coming later, yeah?"

"Okay... see you later then!"

They left the brooding martial artist behind and began to follow the path alongside the banks of Zora River.

"Is he your bodyguard or something?" Akane asked curiously. "Or is there another reason why his mother is staying at Zora's Domain?"

'Uh, gotta be careful now,' Ruto thought. 'Don't wanna spill that the queen of our kingdom is actually a human...' "Um, his mother is an old... acquaintance... of my father. Therefore, she visits the kingdom... quite often. Today was the first time she brought her son, and you could say we instantly became good friends."

Well, that was only half of a lie.

"Ah, now I understand," Akane nodded.

"Still, can he live in your kingdom at all?" Link asked curiously. "I mean, if you are fish, you most likely live under water, right? And he surely isn't able to breathe under water, right?"

'Oh Link...' Akane mentally groaned. 'Shut up, please...'

"We... we aren't just 'fish'," Ruto explained, a little offended. "We are a noble aquatic race that can live under water as well as over the surface. Zora's Domain is a complex of caves dug around the spring of the river, but only one half of the cave is being flooded with water."

"Still, it's kinda amazing," Link said in awe. "I never realized that there is so many water in Hyrule... I would never be able to drink up the whole river all by myself."

Ruto chuckled. Somehow, the blonde boy was funny. Rude and naive, but funny. And cute. "You'd be surprised," she grinned. "Just wait until you visit Lake Hylia... all of the water on Hyrule ends up in there. And there's more than twice as much water as in our kingdom."

"NO WAY!" Link gasped. "There's no way THAT much water exists."

Navi just shook her head. Some day, she just would have to teach young Link the basics of nature and the world...

----

Ranma looked after the threesome consisting of his sister and the two strangers (well, foursome, if you count their fairy). That Sheikah girl really had been rude (not to mention, uncute), but somehow her words did convince him that they weren't here to cause any sort of harm to the Zora.

So, with Ruto gone again and those strangers off his mind, he had time to think a little bit... about himself.

"Who am I?" he murmured and looked at his tan, human hands. "Am I still Ranma Saotome, boy among boys..."

He stepped into the shallow water that was splashing against the riverbank and watched as his skin changed its color to a clear blue, and his hands and arms turned more slender.

"Or am I Ranko, princess of the Zora?" she asked herself. "Or maybe... I am... both?"

She still had to think about that for a little longer.

But first... she still wanted to find out more about this new body. Perhaps that would help her in making the right decision. A little training was in order.

And the best place for that... would be Lake Hylia.

----

Link looked closely at the huge bear sitting in front of him. He grinned. "A nice stuffed bear you got there, your Majesty!" he said to King Zora.

He was surprised when suddenly, the 'stuffed' bear moved towards him, squinted his eyes and produced a wooden sign out of nowhere that read: 'Show your elders a little more respect, boy!'

Link giggled as he backed off. "Nice trick! How did you teach him to do that?"

"Please, we don't have time for that, Link," Akane said.

King Zora, who was still sitting upon his throne, nodded. "Yes, indeed. While I am glad that Princess Zelda has sent me two brave youngsters to assist us in our plight, I fear that it won't be easy to do much against the wicked plan of the Gerudo. If Lord Jabu-Jabu doesn't turn back into the gentle soul he once was, we'll lose the control over the water's flow."

Akane coughed. "Um, that's all pretty sad, I'm sure... But actually, we've been sent to fetch the Spiritual Stone that is supposed to be in your realm."

"I see..." The rotund Zora stroked his flabby chin. "Honey, didn't you carry the stone with you...?"

Nodoka sighed. "I'm afraid I gave it to Ruto before I left... you know, to search for help. You know what the stone is a symbol for in our kingdom, right, dear?"

"Um, I read a little bit about it," Akane said and grimaced. Damn, if she only had paid more attention when her Mother had tried to teach her about the different cultures of Hyrule...

Nodoka looked around the throne room, but her daughter has already left the room. "It looks like Ruto is outside... I guess she's with his Lordship again. I'll try and see if I can find her."

And while his wife was leaving the room, the king continued to stroke his chin. "Well, even if you may be just messengers and are here only because of the Spiritual Stone, perhaps you can still do us a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Link asked curiously.

King Zora sighed. "Well, perhaps... Would you know about a way how we could Lord Jabu-Jabu make regain his senses?"

Akane scratched her head. "Um, a good clonk on the head with a mallet?"

Navi groaned. "I don't believe that is going to help, Akane..." the fairy muttered.

All of a sudden, their conversation was being interrupted by a deafening bellow coming from outside, followed by a startled yelp and a scream of terror.

"Now what's going on there?" the king asked while he turned around his massive body as best as he could.

"That was the queen," Navi shouted in alarm. "Something must have happened at the spring."

"Let's help them, quick!" Link shouted, and the two kids hurried out of the throne room.

King Zora tried to follow them, but gave up after making a few steps. "Oooooh..." he groaned. "A thick tummy may be a protection against heat, coldness and hard floors, but it can still be a bother sometimes..."

----

Link and Akane ran out of the cave and onto the platform that was in front of Lord Jabu-Jabu. The enormous whale was once again thrashing around in the water and growled at them through his teeth. Queen Nodoka was crouching on the floor, her face buried in her hands, and sobbed. Princess Ruto was nowhere to be seen.

"What happened here?" Akane wanted to know. "Where's the princess?"

"I... I just came out of the cave, when I saw how my daughter wanted to feed his Lordship a fresh fish. I was expecting him to scoop it up with his tongue, as he does always. But... but instead, he... he simply opened his mouth and inhaled... and both the fish and (sob) my daughter got... got sucked inside. Oh, why did this have to happen?"

Akane paled. "In... inside the whale?"

Link gulped. "That can't be healthy..." That much, he already knew about giant whales.

Nodoka sniffed. "Would I be as strong as my... my older daughter, and my ex-husband, I would go after her immediately and try to get her out of there."

"Out of the whale's belly?" Link asked in astonishment. "Wouldn't that be, ahem, too late by now?"

"Not entirely," the queen explained, finally getting a hold of herself. She stood up. "You see, the innards of Lord Jabu-Jabu are like a giant maze of tunnels, not entirely hazardous for anyone who gets inside. The main part of his stomach, where he's digesting all of the food he has swallowed, is on a much lower level than his mouth."

"A maze of tunnels?" Akane repeated. "I don't believe you..."

"It is true," Nodoka claimed. "Whenever His Lordship is ill, going inside of his belly makes finding a cure for his sickness much less challenging than it would be with a normal, living creature."

"But if that maze is so big like you said, it wouldn't even FIT inside his body," Akane shouted.

"Well, Lord Jabu-Jabu is a deity, a magical being of great power... So who says that he can't defy the laws of nature a little bit, when he's a direct servant of the goddesses?"

Akane slowly understood that this whale was indeed a real, living DEITY, not some big animal that had some special status in the Zora's culture. So maybe all the talk about how it controlled the kingdom's water flow wasn't that far-fetched either...

"But... if Zoras had entered his belly before, why can't just someone go in and get her out of there?" Link asked.

"It's not that easy," Nodoka sighed. "Recently, there have been sightings of evil, parasitic creatures in the innards of Jabu-Jabus belly. They hinder everyone who wants to go on further than the throat, to proceed. We tried fighting those monsters, but... every times we hit them with any weapon, they gave off some strange sort of magical, electric energy, and our warriors get badly shocked. Besides, it's not as if it would be easy to enter His Lordships mouth when he's as agitated like this."

"I see..." Link murmured. "Now this is really some problem..." He then snapped his fingers. "I know! Since your daughter has the Spiritual Stone, we need to bring it to Princess Zelda, and you need someone to clean up the innards of your whale anyway, why don't we do us all a favor and go after the princess ourselves?"

"What?" Akane asked in disbelief. "Just the two of us?"

"The three of us, you mean. I'm still here, you know?" Navi said, a little bit offended.

"Why not?" Link asked. "I beat the parasitic Gohma, I can still beat some parasites, elcerticitity or whatsitcalled, or not."

Akane stared at the massive mouth of the whale, and at the two rows of sharp teeth in-between the two powerful jaws.

"You want me to go into a whale's belly?"

"Yeah, why not?" Link shrugged.

Akane sighed. "Okay, whatever. My Mom already told me the day would come where I had to dive into a beast's jaws in the service of the kingdom... but I never assumed she would mean it LITERALLY!"

----

A little while later, the two young kids stood in front of the whale. Navi was nervously crouching on Link's shoulder, while the blonde boy raised a bottle that was filled with some water and a fresh fish.

"Heeeere, Jabby-Jabby... I got some yummy lunch for ya!" And he waved the bottle around in the air.

The whale looked directly at the bottle, and would he have some legs, he would have crawled up the platform and scooped the bottle right out of the boy's hands.

Link grinned as he uncorked the bottle, turned it around... and let the fish inside of it slide out.

With a wet 'FLOP', the still floundering fish landed on the hard stone floor.

By now, Jabu-Jabu wasn't able to control his greed. He opened his mouth widely... and Akane shuddered as she saw the big, black hole in front of her.

And then, they could feel the suction. Jabu-Jabu inhaled with all his might. The tiny little fish instantly vanished in the depths of his muzzle. Link and Akane had started running towards the 'entrance', but only seconds later would the suction pull them off their feet and suck them inside.

Satisfied, the enormous whale closed his mouth behind his latest 'meal'.

Nodoka was standing in the entrance of the Zora cavern and sighed. "I hope you find my daughter and come back safe and sound..."

She then threw her ursine ex-husband a glare. "You could have joined them, you know?"

'Hey, I'm no fool,' the winged bear signed. Nodoka raised a scaly eyebrow. 'Okay, maybe I am, but I'm still not weary of my life.'

"You are a coward, Genma," Nodoka huffed. "If you were the man I always thought you to be, you would be out there, looking for our child. I know that Ruto told us that he wants to think about things first, but... Still, you are one lousy father."

Genma knew of nothing he could reply to that.

----

Shampoo coughed as another sandbag hit her on the head. "Great... Great-Grandmother, can't Shampoo..." WHAP! "Can't Shampoo get a break now?" WHAP!

Watching from the side of the Gerudo training grounds, Elder Cologne shook her head, while sitting atop her broom that was hovering next to Vice Chief Nabooru. "No, child! You made a mistake and you must learn not to make any mistake any more. If you can't endure even a punishment that you have brought upon yourself... then you can't call yourself a Gerudo."

She nodded towards the Gerudo warrior that was standing upon the sandstone wall, and she threw another sandbag at the young, lavender-haired girl. Shampoo tried hitting it with her training scimitar, but she was too slow, and the sandbag hit her shoulder hardly and popped open. By now, Shampoo was covered from tip to toe in sand. Her legs were wobbly, and tears were flowing down her face, but she kept on standing, to show her aunt and great-grandmother that she was a strong Gerudo...

"How long shall the punishment continue?" Nabooru asked in an emotionless voice.

"I believe you can let her continue until lunch," Cologne nodded. "Be sure to give her much to drink afterwards."

Nabooru sighed, but nodded. "Yes, I understand... she might have done a mistake, but she still IS the great-granddaughter from the elder of wind..."

"Good. I'm glad you see it this way," Cologne nodded. She steered her broom around and flew away, in the direction of the Spirit Temple.

Nabooru made sure that her elder had really left, then she let out a deep groan. Of course Shampoo had done a serious mistake, but... She didn't have to punish her like that. And while she understood that Shampoo needed more water after this training, they wouldn't have to waste precious water like that if she wouldn't be punished at all. Nabooru knew it was Gerudo tradition, but she always felt it was time for several... changes in the culture of her tribe.

Well, those changes would never come as long as Ganondorf was their king...

----

Cologne zipped right into the hidden opening on top of the Desert Colossus' head and flew down the shaft that lead directly into the ceremony hall, on the very top floor of the Spirit Temple.

She realized with a slight uneasiness that His Lordship was already present.

"There you are!" Kotake began nagging. "What kept you so long? Do you want to keep the Great Ganondorf waiting?"

"Maybe her broom got caught in a desert cactus..." Koume snickered evilly.

Ganondorf didn't respond to the twin's cackling, neither did he scold Cologne for her late arrival.

Cologne landed in front of her king and bowed down to the floor. "Please forgive me my tardiness, Oh great Ganondorf," she said. "But I had to give the warriors several instructions."

"Move to your position," Ganondorf simply stated, and the matter was settled.

Cologne floated over to the pedestal that showed the insignia of the wind, which was her own domain. She couldn't help but notice the glances the Twinrova sisters threw each other. It was clear that they were disappointed that their lord didn't punish Cologne for her impertinence.

Ganondorf let out a deep sigh of contentment. "Everything is developing splendidly," he said. "The king doesn't suspect my true ambitions, the Deku Tree of the forest is dead, and soon the Spiritual Stones will be mine."

"And with the Ocarina of Time, we will be able to enter the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce is waiting," Kotake cackled gleefully. "Those are truly glorious times, your Lordship! Let me be at your side once your forces invade the Temple of Time!"

"Yes, I'm asking for the same," Koume nodded. "And I shall crush all those insolent fools that dare to oppose you!"

"Like you did with that cursed boy at Jabu-Jabus spring, you mean?" Ganondorf coldly replied.

Koume suppressed a shiver. "G-great Ganondorf, he... he took me by surprise. Had I known that such a young child would possess such strength, I would have never underestimated him."

"Don't make any excuses, sister," Kotake snapped. "You made a mistake and you have to account for that fact."

"Y-yes, of course..." Koume quickly said. "My king, I'm awaiting your punishment..."

But Ganondorf didn't pay any attention to her any more. Instead, his gaze focussed solely on Kotake. "Y-your Lordship?"

"I'm afraid you have not done a perfect job either, Kotake," he said with a smug grin. "Or how do you explain to me that Dodongo's Cave is once again open, and the mighty Dodongo King has been defeated?"

Kotake gasped. "That... that can't be, I... it must be those Lizalfos! They never do anything right."

"What did you say, sister dearest?" Koume mocked from her side. "You made a mistake and must be punished for that."

"Settle down, both of you," Ganondorf said in a calm voice. "Neither of you will get any sort of punishment today..."

"Y-your Lordship?"

"While my plans progress differently from what I had originally planned, I would have never guessed that Princess Zelda would send out allies to bring her the Spiritual Stones." He chuckled. "And once her carriers have brought all of the Stones to Hyrule... that's when we'll take them all at once!"

"What a splendid idea," the twins cackled. "You are truly ingenious, Oh great Ganondorf!"

"But Your Lordship," Cologne intervened. "What about the Ocarina of Time? I hate to remember all of you that the Gates of Time cannot be opened without this very special artifact."

By now, Ganondorf was grinning smugly. "At this very moment, the young Kuno boy is entering the treasure rooms below Hyrule Castle, in an attempt on bringing me the Ocarina of Time."

"That young boy?" Cologne asked. "He won't make it. He will fail."

"Yes, I was aware of that, thank you!" Ganondorf said coolly. "But upon finding out that he was attempting to steal the Ocarina, the king will pronounce him traitor. And thus, the only possibility he has is accepting help from me, as he will be convinced that the king is already under the influence of the 'devilish' Sheikah." The king of the Gerudo laughed with his deep voice. "And when I take him into my service, and make him my student, he will believe that everything he does, will be for the good of the king of Hyrule."

"What a fool!" Kotake giggled, and the two hags started cackling.

"But my lord, what about the Ocarina of Time? How will be able to acquire it when the young Kuno won't be able to deliver?"

"Patience, Elder Cologne," Ganondorf smirked. "If my guess is correct, then Princess Zelda will just take care of that very same problem for us..."

He began chuckling, which turned into a booming fit of laughter, which was joined by the shrill voices of the Twinrova Sisters.

Cologne, in the meantime, concentrated on the female presence that was imprisoned on the lowest levels of the Spirit Temple... and when she felt the pain and anguish that prisoner had to endure, she wished that someone would soon free her from her torture...

Within the torture chamber below the Spirit Temple, Princess Kodachi yelled on top of her lungs as the dark magic of the Poe Witches that have gathered around the altar she was bound to, once again invaded her mind...

----

Princess Ruto stood in the middle of a big room, with pulsating, organic walls and a floor that felt somewhat squishy beneath their feet.

"Stop following me," she insisted. "I already told you I'm not getting out of here before I found the stone my mom gave to me."

"Look, princess..." Akane sighed. "Your mother is worried about you. And it is not safe just to walk around a whale's stomach like this... especially not with all those monsters around."

"I'll be fine..." Ruto huffed. "I've been walking around Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach since I've been a little child. I know what I'm doing."

"Well, I suppose that stone you're seeking is the very same Spiritual Stone we're looking for... so what do you say we'll go and look for it together?" Navi suggested.

"What do you think I am?" Ruto grumbled. "A weak, defenseless princess? Now go and leave me alooooo..."

While speaking that last sentence, Ruto wanted to turn around to leave, but she didn't see the weird hole in the ground, that somehow looked like a whirlpool of organic tissue.

"WHAAAAAAAH!"

Link crouched down next to the hole and looked inside. "Wow, sounds like she had fun going down there... shall we go after her?"

"I suppose," Akane sighed. "But I really, really need a vacation after all of this..."

It turned out to be not such a wild ride as Link had expected. They only got sucked through that small 'whirlpool' and fell through the ceiling of a room that was beneath the previous one.

The ground was as soft and bouncy as everywhere in the inside of the whale, so the impact from the fall wasn't very hurtful.

Ruto was standing next to them as they got to their feet. "You again?" she muttered. "You just can't take a no, can you?" She sighed. "Look, I'm fine, really. And I really appreciate the help, but..."

"But you're too proud to accept any sort of help, is that right?" Akane assumed.

"Well, ye... I mean, ummm, what are you talking abo... err, that is... I guess I really could use some help." Another sigh. "Well, I guess us Zoras are just not used to accept help from outsiders..."

"And what about your so-called 'bodyguard' we met at Zora River?" Akane asked. "He was a Hylian, as far as I could see..."

"Well, yes, but that was different. I mean, he's my bro... Um, I mean: He's a very good friend of the family. So, um... can we just go now?"

"Of course!" Link smirked. "Lead the way, Your Fishy-ness!"

"Stop that!" she snapped, already acting grumpy again. "And do you really expect a princess like me to go first? If you really want to escort me, then..." She smirked. "You may as well carry me."

"W-w-what?" Link thought he misheard.

"I mean it," the Zora girl said firmly. "I've been searching for my mother's stone the whole day long, and my feet are starting to hurt. So, if you want to help me find it, you better do as I say."

"Just do it, Link," Akane whispered. "I bet Her Grumpiness won't put a single foot out of this room if we don't play along."

"All right..." Link mumbled in defeat. "But I really hope Zelda appreciates everything I'm going through because of her stupid stones..."

And after Link took Ruto on his back, piggyback-style, she nodded with a satisfied smile. "Yes, that's better." She gestured at the nearest exit. "Over there! I think I still haven't looked in that cavern for my stone."

'That's why I prefer hanging around with girls like Ukyo and Saria...' Link thought to himself as he carried Ruto towards the exit. 'They're not as pushy as this spoiled princess...'

----

In the middle of the forest, the final tunes of a beautiful melody echoed through the thicket.

Saria put her ocarina down from her mouth and sighed. It wasn't as new as the Fairy Ocarina she had given Link as a present, but it could still produce beautiful music.

"Link..." she mumbled to herself. "Why did you have to leave the forest...?" True, she missed Ukyo and Tatl as well, but... the disappearance of the blonde boy somehow made her feel even more sad.

"Hey, don't worry!" her green-glowing fairy Sprite tried cheering her up. "I'm pretty sure they will come back some day. I mean, they just have some business to do at this 'Castle' - whatever that is - and they will come back. Right?"

"I suppose..." Saria sighed. She really appreciated her fairy companion's encouragement, but she just couldn't feel uneasy about the whole situation... Just why did she feel like there was more behind this? That Link and her... just weren't meant to be together?

She clutched her ocarina to her chest. "Link... and Ukyo, too. Wherever you are right now... and whatever you are doing. This melody is for you... and I hope it will bring you good luck."

She raised the instrument to her lips and began playing 'Saria's Song' anew.

----

Ukyo tumbled down on the small ledge that was sticking out of Death Mountain's cliff and panted heavily. Climbing up here just to meet a fairy turned out to be very hard work. Not only did she have to dodge all those falling boulders in the canyon, no, she still had to climb this almost vertical wall.

"Careful," Tatl said. "You're not a Skullwalltula, you know?"

"I know..." Ukyo grumbled. "But I STILL can do this!"

After she and Ryoga had left Dodongo's Cave, they had met Darunia. The leader of the Gorons was very happy that they actually managed to beat a Dodongo King, and as promised, he gave them the Goron's Ruby. As a sign of his appreciation, he told Ukyo about a powerful fairy that was supposed to live on top of Death Mountain... perhaps her powers would be a great help on her way back to Castle Hyrule. Also, he had offered her to become 'Sworn Brothers' with him, an honor that he would normally only offer male heroes. But as Ukyo was somewhat of a tomboy...

Politely, Ukyo had declined. But she was intrigued... she had never met a Great Fairy, and climbing the biggest mountain of Hyrule sounded like a nice challenge. They could always deliver the Spiritual Stone to Princess Zelda some time later.

Ryoga, on the other hand, had decided to stay back with his mentor... he was still his student, and Darunia had promised to teach him the final battle move, an ancient secret of the Gorons... a technique that was supposed to draw upon the user's emotions and turn them into a powerful blast of power.

Ryoga had sworn to himself that he was going to master this technique... and once he had finished his training, he would go back to the Castle as Akane's bodyguard. Ukyo had wished him luck and started climbing the mountain by herself.

But by now she wished she had just ignored Darunia's tale and started her journey back to the castle town... she could have easily stayed the night in Kakariko.

"Stupid Ukyo..." she scolded herself. "Do you always have to prove to yourself that you're the best?"

"Well, we can always give up and go back," Tatl suggested.

Ukyo was just considering doing just that, when suddenly, she heard something in her mind.

"That song..." she whispered. "I've heard it before. Can it be... Saria?"

She remembered the time she had heard the song for the first time...

----

Saria giggled as Link played along on her second ocarina. "That sounds so beautiful," she said.

"Seriously," Ukyo nodded as she sat next to her friend. "You can play so nice music, Saria!"

The green-haired girl smiled. "Thank you... but I think Link did pretty good as well, for his first time."

Link grinned bashfully as he returned the instrument to his friend. "Well, I had a good teacher..."

"Now, this song isn't just like any other songs," Saria explained to her two friends. "I can use it to communicate with everything in the forest... The trees... the flowers... the animals... and even with fairies, Dekus and Kokiri when they're not nearby. As long as they know this song, I can talk to them any time..."

"Wow," Link said in awe. "That sounds pretty mysterious, dont'cha think?"

Saria giggled. "I guess so... I still can't explain why this song has powers like this. But, you know... ever since I came up with this melody, I realized that I can see through the eyes of every single creature that is living within the Lost Woods."

"Well then, let's hope the song will do the same thing for us," Ukyo smirked. "Whenever the three of us will be separated, this song will help us to find each other... and to talk to each other."

Link thought about it. "Well, I really don't want to get separated from you two at all... but if something like that ever happens, yeah, then I think it would be great."

"Yes.." Saria replied. "That's what I want as well. Always being able to know that the two of you are doing fine..."

"Then it's a promise," Ukyo said and stretched out her hand. After a small moment of hesitation, the other two forest kids put their own hands on it and silently made their vow never to forget each other.

----

"Is something wrong, Ukyo?" Tatl asked in worry as she hovered in front of her friend's face.

"I... don't know," Ukyo said and shook her head. "For a moment, I thought I heard something... stay quiet for a while, okay?"

"Um... okay, if you say so..." The fairy landed next to her companion with a confused look on her face.

Ukyo closed her eyes, concentrated and tried remembering the tune of the song.

'Saria,' she thought. 'Are you there?'

After a moment, she believed to hear the rustling of the forest leaves, as the wind blew through them, and the sounds of the forest animals.

And a familiar voice as well...

'Ukyo?'

----

Nabiki and Kuno had been walking through the corridors of the castle's basement for some time by now, and still they didn't reach the chamber where the Ocarina of Time was hidden.

'What game is she playing?' Kuno pondered. 'Nabiki Tendo, what are you plotting? We could have easily been in the Ocarina's room by now, but you kept misleading me through rooms and corridors we really didn't have to cross at all...'

"I think we should take the right way here," Nabiki suddenly suggested. "I believe the left path is protected by yet another trap... and we won't you plummeting down into a bottomless pit, right, Kuno-baby?"

The son of the chancellor gritted his teeth. He was fed up with that girl and her sly grin. Enough was enough!

"What do you want from me, Nabiki Tendo?" he snapped. His hand wandered to his sword's hilt. "Why are you leading me around in circles like this? We could have easily reached the correct chamber by now. And there aren't as many traps around here as you want to make me believe, aren't there? So what are you planning to do?"

Nabiki turned around and raised an eyebrow. She toyed with the idea of playing dumb, but she already realized that Kuno wasn't as dumb as she had always believed him to be.

"Kuno... that chamber you wanted to go to... there's only one real treasure in there, correct?"

"What's it to you?" Kuno grumbled. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Oh, really? I beg to differ... some treasures and artifacts down here are too valuable and powerful to be placed in the hands of a mere soldier like you. You know that those artifacts may only be touched and used by members of the royal family, do you?"

"And how would you know that I intend on taking one of those treasures?" Kuno asked dangerously.

Nabiki just smirked. "Easy, the only powerful artifact that lies within the chamber you want to go to is the most prized possession of the royal family: The Ocarina of Time."

Kuno gritted his teeth in anger. Damn that Tendo brat... but he wouldn't let her interfere now.

"Tell me, Kuno-baby... whatever did you want to do with the Ocarina of Time, an artifact only the king himself and Princess Zelda may touch? Is it because you want a nice instrument on your own? Didn't your daddy give you a nice flute when you were a kid?"

"Don't you dare mock me, devilish girl!" Kuno shouted. "I'm doing this so you and your back-stabbing tribe members won't corrupt the fair kingdom of Hyrule with your evil stench."

NOW Nabiki was taken aback. "Tell me, Kuno..." she grumbled with a more serious expression. "I already knew you didn't like me or my family very much, but... What makes you hate our tribe so much?"

"You..." Kuno growled and slowly drew his blade. "You Sheikah are all the same. Sneaking around in the shadows, cowardly ways of fighting, always groveling in front of the king and princess... What else can you expect from such a lowly tribe? Only betrayal and collaboration with the kingdom's enemies."

"Uh-huh..." Nabiki nodded, starting to suspect that this boy had more than one screw loose. "And which enemies would that be...?"

"You can't fool me," Kuno shouted. "I know what you and the demons of the depth are planning. But neither you or the Zora can ever trick a noble protector of royalty as I am. Now run for your life, devil, or I shall smite you down right where you stand."

By now, Nabiki has moved into the standard battle stance of her tribe. "You're insane, Kuno," she said. "Neither my tribe nor the Zora are planning anything against the king. And I can't let you take the Ocarina like this. What were you planning to do with it, anyway?"

"You can't stop me," Kuno proclaimed. "I shall take this artifact to Lord Ganondorf, so he may use it to protect the whole castle from your evil forces."

'So, Ganondorf's behind all this?' Nabiki thought. 'I never trusted that smooth-talking Gerudo. Mom will be interested to hear this... But, seriously, Ganondorf should really try to gain allies that aren't such big blabbermouths like Tatewaki.'

"Give it up, Kuno-baby," she finally said. "Even if you would defeat me, do you really plan on escape the treasure rooms with the Ocarina, when there are guards blocking every exit?"

"My lord shall guide my feet," Kuno proclaimed proudly. "A fact a servant of darkness like yourself will never understand. Now, I'll warn you one last time: Move aside or I shall smite thee!"

"Fat chance, Kuno," Nabiki grumbled and furrowed her brow.

Kuno raised his sword. "So shall it be... DIE!"

----

"Watch out!" Link cried, as he hit yet another Bari with a Deku Stick.

The floating, electrified jellyfish splattered apart in a shower of sparks and slimy particles.

Ruto shielded her eyes against the remains of the monster. "Ewwwww..." she said. "That's disgusting."

Link sighed as he looked down at the remains of his splintered, wooden stick. As fragile as they were, Deku Sticks would break apart every time he hit an enemy with them. Still, as he couldn't hit the Bari with a metal weapon, using his sword was out of the question.

"Stupid elcractical jellyfish..." he muttered.

"It's 'electrical', can you keep that in mind?" Navi sighed. "Really, Link, some day we just have to do something about your education..."

Akane smirked. "I wonder how he managed to survive until now... Honestly, are there no schools in the forest?"

Link shrugged. "Dunno what you mean, but we managed to do just fine up to this day. And I really never figured that I would leave the forest one day, you know?"

"Can we just go on with it?" Ruto asked impatiently. "I want to find my mom's precious stone."

"By now, I think I can imagine what 'precious' means..." Link grumbled as the princess climbed back on his back. "Like stupid, dumb or annoying..."

They approached the next 'door'. The strange bony contraption retracted as soon as Akane touched its surface, so they could enter the next chamber.

Akane shook her head. "All of this organic stuff gives me the creeps, you know? I mean, walking around a whale's belly... My life can't get any weirder than this."

"You tell me..." Link grumbled. "But at least you don't have to carry a whiny princess around on your shoulders."

WHAP!

"Stupid boy!" Ruto yelled as she whopped Link's head. "You should see it as an honor, carrying me around Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly! Now go, and no complaints!"

"Yay me..." Link groaned as he rubbed his head. "I can't imagine anything more glorious as carrying a fish-girl with a temper around a whale's slimy belly, fighting el... electric monster and searching for a dumb little stone..."

WHAP!

"I said, no complaints! Now, get going!"

They crossed yet another chamber, defeated a few of those floating stingrays and opened the next bone door.

They were standing in a circular room, with a round platform in its middle. And on it, some sparkling item was lying.

"There!" Ruto shouted and wiggled around on Link's shoulders. "That's my mommy's stone! Quick, throw me up there!"

"Well, if you insist..." Link smirked, drew back his arms, grabbed Ruto's behind...

Ruto blushed a deep azure blue and yelped. "PERVERT!"

Link grinned, then he threw the Zora princess onto the platform with all his might.

"OW!" Ruto cried as she fell on her tender little tush. "Hey, be a little more careful, okay?"

"Just hurry up and take the stone, okay?" Link shouted. "We don't have the whole day!"

Muttering to herself, Ruto stood up and rubbed her sore little bum. She walked over to where the glittering sapphire was lying and picked it up. She was just going to go back to her 'friends', when suddenly...

"GWAH!" Ruto shouted as the ground beneath her feet started to shake. "Wh-what's going on?"

And then, the whole platform rose up, out of the ground, and took Ruto with it. Akane gasped and tried lunging for the platform, but it was too late: It rose up and vanished in a vertical shaft in the ceiling, which they hadn't even noticed previously.

"EEEEEEEK!" Ruto's shrill voice came from upstairs. "What the... what's THAT? An... an octopus...?"

Link threw Akane a confused look. "What's wrong with her?"

"I think we're just going to find out..." Akane grimaced, as the platform came down again.

Link gasped as he realized that not Ruto was sitting on top of the platform, but a fat, slimy monster with a tubular face and rubbery tentacles...

"A Bigocto!" Navi gasped. "Be careful, Link, you can't hurt him from the front."

The giant octopus-like monster gave off a gurgling noise and jumped off the platform, in-between the two children... and then he turned around, facing Link.

Link grimaced as the Bigocto started heading his way. "Ho-how am I gonna hurt him if I can't reach his backside?"

"Um... I suppose you RUN FOR IT!" Navi shouted as she zipped out of the way.

Link yelled as the Bigocto chased him all around the platform, never stopping once. He tried jumping up on the platform several times, but it was just too high for him.

Akane on the other hand... thanks to her Sheikah training, she had no such problems. She nimbly jumped up on the central platform and observed how the Bigocto chased Link around the chamber.

After the third round, she shouted. "So... having fun yet?"

"Very funny!" Link yelped. "Why don't you come down here and HELP ME?"

Akane nodded. "All right, I already have a plan... I think I figured out his movements."

She stood up, straightened her arms and pulled something out from under her belt... it was a wooden throwing tool, carved masterfully to ensure a smooth flying path.

Akane waited a few more seconds, squinted her eyes and took aim...

"HURRY UP, WILL YA?" Link yelled as the Bigocto closed in on him.

"YA!" Akane finally shouted, as she let the boomerang fly.

The twirling weapon flew a curved path... and smacked directly into the face of the octopus monster.

Link didn't even notice it, he just kept on running and yelling, all around the room... until he smacked into the big, green butt of the monster.

"Quick!" Navi yelled. "Hit him with the sword!"

Link nodded and stumbled back to his feet, drew his Kokiri Blade and swung it through the air.

"Hey, slimy!" he yelled. "Mind if I BUTT in?"

And he sliced at the Bigocto's behind with a clear cut.

The monster gave off another gurgling yell, jumped straightly up into the air, waved its short tentacles around, landed back on the floor... and fell back on its butt. A small puff of smoke came out of its tubular snout, and then... it was defeated.

Navi sighed. "Now that... was something else."

"Um... nicely done, if I may say so..." Akane commented. "Now that was a very... exceptional way to defeat your opponent, you know?"

Link felt like collapsing on the ground and cry. "Aw, shaddup..." he mumbled.

----

"The Great Fairies?" Saria asked, still speaking with Ukyo through telepathy. "Oh yes, I've heard of them. Sprite told me about them. They are supposed to be the most powerful fairies in all of Hyrule. I suppose it was the right decision to listen to that Darunia fellow... I'm sure she can help you out."

"Well, sounds great and all," Ukyo sighed. "But I do hope everything will turn out fine... and hopefully I won't be too late when I return the Spiritual Stone to the castle."

"You'll do fine," Saria assured her friend. Ukyo could almost feel her smile. "Who else might be able to save the kingdom if not my strong friend Ukyo?"

Ukyo chuckled. "Well, you have a point there... Okay, I guess I should be going now, then. And don't worry: Link and I will come back into the forest once all of this is settled."

"That's great! I'm looking forward to it. And, um... tell Link I miss him too, okay?"

Ukyo grinned. This time, it was her green-haired friend's blush which she could almost feel. "Sure thing, sugar!"

"Good luck!" And that was the last thing she heard from her friend.

Tatl flew up to Ukyo's face. "Well, how is she? All's fine in the forest?"

"Yeah, no worries! She said that Tael is missing you."

"Well, I suppose all little brothers need their big sisters," Tatl grinned smugly. "Okay then, let's get this over with, so we don't have to keep them waiting for too long."

Together, they entered the big cave that was situated on the summit of Death Mountain.

----

"This is it, Ryoga," Darunia explained. "This is the ultimate secret technique of the Goron battle skills. Use it whenever everything else fails."

"I'm ready, sensei!" Ryoga said with determination.

His teacher nodded. "Good, good... Now... the Shi Shi Hokodan is a powerful blast of energy which is being fed by your emotions... your depression and anger."

Darunia looked fiercely into his student's eyes. "Ryoga, remember one thing: Only use the Shi Shi Hokodan when everything else fails. One shouldn't dwell for too long into his depression and despair like this. I've heard stories about Gorons who used this technique too often and as a result, turned into much more gloomy and miserable people because of that. True, they became almost unstoppable fighters in the end... but they also could never find any luck again. Always keep that in mind!"

Ryoga gulped. "I... I understand, sensei!"

Darunia nodded. He had taught Ryoga self-control and knew the boy had some common sense, so he had faith in his student's words.

"All right then... let's begin the training."

----

Ukyo blinked as she saw the imposing figure of the Great Fairy that had emerged from the spring. She was taller than even Impa, the tallest woman Ukyo had ever met.

She also was... scantily clad. Ukyo was just glad that she wasn't a boy, because she surely would have developed a nosebleed, if she were.

The Great Fairy smirked. "So, you are the forest child the mountain told me about. Well, you seem to be a brave girl, with an open heart and mind."

"The mountain... told her?" Ukyo whispered to Tatl.

"I heard the Great Fairies have the ability to communicate with nature and their surroundings... similar as Saria did with her magical song."

"She is right," the fairy said amused. "And you don't have to whisper, little ones, I can hear everything you say."

Ukyo blushed nervously and coughed. "Um, sorry about this... Say, Goron chief Darunia told us you might be able to help us in our quest... is that true?"

"Very much so," the fairy nodded. "As you have endured the trials of Death Mountain itself, I shall grant you a present... It's up to you if you want to accept it or not."

"Okay..." Ukyo replied. "And what kind of present?"

The Great Fairy smirked as she posed as if she would be lying on an invisible cushion in the air.

"I'll grant you... the gift of magic!"

----

Ranko sighed as she let her small body drift along the waters of Lake Hylia. Every little movement of the water around her caught her attention, even with closed eyes. She could feel it flow around her body gently. It calmed her, soothed her spirit and her mind. She and the water were one.

When she felt a movement to her right, her eyes opened up. Instinctively, she rolled around and dodged the assault of the aggressive Shell Blade that had jumped at her.

Pushing herself away from the ground, she nimbly twirled around her body and swam at the aquatic predator like a cute lil' barracuda.

"Take this!" she shouted, although the water around her damped her voice. Her webbed foot hit the outer shell of the Shell Blade with a forceful impact and propelled it away a good distance from her.

Ranko smirked. That had been the 18th time she hit that silly crustacean, and it never had managed to even touch her.

'Lucky thing those Shell Blades can take so much hits without being actually hurt,' she thought to herself. 'The perfect sparring partners under water.'

Training her body like this wasn't only a good way to get used to her body, it was also a good way to keep it trim and fit. She had already developed a few underwater battle moves she knew would come in handy some time.

She closed her eyes again and let her body slowly sink back to the ground of the lake. She calmed her mind and awaited the Shell Blade's next attack...

----

"A magical shockwave?" Ukyo asked as she felt the magical energy of the Great Fairy sinking into her limbs.

"That's correct!" the fairy nodded. "Focus all your magical power in your weapon, and when you feel that it has reached its peak, slam your weapon down onto the ground. The resulting shockwave will knock back all enemies that are around you. It will be very useful when you're surrounded.

Ukyo smirked, twirled around her spatula and put it back behind her. "So, and what do I do once my magic has run all out?"

"Search for these magical bottles," the fairy explained and opened her hand. A green bottle, looking very much like a tiny urn, appeared in her palm. "Those only appear to those that are talented in the ways of magic. Search underneath tall grass and bushes."

"That again?" Ukyo sighed. "Lemme guess... the Minish put it there?"

The Great Fairy just smiled enigmatically.

"Well, whatever, this is definitely an awesome gift," Ukyo said.

"We thank you for your assistance, Great Fairy!" Tatl said with a trace of meekness that was quite unusual for her.

"Seek my five sisters!" the fairy told them. "They will help you as well, if you ask them. Their springs are hidden throughout all of Hyrule!"

"And how will we find them?" Ukyo asked.

The fairy grinned. "Now that... is a secret!"

She once again submerged into her spring, all the while laughing in a maniacal way.

Ukyo winced upon hearing the high-pitched laugh of the fairy. "Why does she have to do that all the time?"

----

Somewhere else, in her quarters in Hyrule Castle, Princess Zelda was rubbing her ears.

"What's the matter, Your Highness?" Impa's oldest daughter Kasumi asked in worry.

"I don't know..." Zelda muttered. "For a while, I thought I heard the voice of my sister..."

Kasumi listened. "I don't hear anything. Perhaps it was just the wind?"

"Well, maybe..." Zelda sighed. "Although I'm wondering where she is. I haven't seen her the whole day. You cleaned her room today, right, Kasumi? Did you see her?"

The eldest of the three Sheikah sisters shook her head. "I'm sorry, princess, I didn't... but maybe she's just strolling through the castle?" She smiled. "She always had a crush on that handsome Captain Mikado, right? Maybe they are on a secret date?"

Zelda giggled. She just couldn't imagine that. And if it was the truth, she felt sorry for the captain. Her little sister could be quite... demented at times.

Still, she loved her dearly, just like any good sister would. She looked out of her window and sighed. "Sister... I hope nothing happened to you..."

----

Deep below the Desert Colossus of the Gerudo, a shrill scream echoed through the halls.

"How is she progressing?" Elder Koume asked the floating, purple-tressed apparition in front of her.

"Her mind is strong, mistress!" the Poe Sister Meg told the Gerudo Witch in her whispery voice. "But she will soon succumb to our pressure... We can already see her skin changing colors... Soon enough Lord Ganondorf will have his own 'Sorceress of the Shadows'."

"Good, very good!" the old hag chuckled. "And when that time arrives, everything she does will only be for the good of our master!"

Both mistress and servant cackled insanely, as the corruption of Princess Kodachi proceeded...

----

The two opponents stood in front of each other, each staring straight into the other's eyes.

Kuno's sword was aiming right at Nabiki's chest, while the young Sheikah warrior was considering slamming her knee into that sensitive area between the swordsman's legs...

And then, the two warriors leapt at each other. Kuno tried stabbing at Nabiki's heart immediately, but she nimbly dodged the strike and hit him with a forceful palm attack. Most of the force got absorbed by the soldier's armor, but he staggered back a few steps, so Nabiki got an opening: She jumped at him, raising her right leg for a powerful kick, aimed at his abdomen.

At the very last moment, Kuno rolled to the side, while his sword circled above him, leaving a big slice in Nabiki's clothes. Luckily, the clever girl had anticipated this move, so she only received a slight scratch on her skin.

Kuno rolled backwards, jumped to his feet, while Nabiki spun around to face him once again.

"You fight well, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno proclaimed. "But in the end, you shall fall before my blade. It is my duty as a servant of the kingdom to strike you down where you stand, servant of evil!"

"Oh, gimme a break..." the middle Tendo sister murmured. "Less talk, more action, sword boy!" she shouted.

"So shall it be!" Kuno said grimly and raised his weapon. "FOR THE KILLING BLOW!"

He raised his sword high above his head and charged Nabiki like a raging bull.

Nabiki didn't move, she calmly waited until the very last instant, then she bent her upper body sidewards, so the Kuno blade missed her, and at the same time, she hit the furious swordsman with a powerful roundhouse kick, which connected with Kuno's jaw and sent the delusional soldier flying.

Kuno hit the wall with a groan and sunk down to the ground, while Nabiki went out of her battle stance and wiped her brow with a sigh.

"Always remember, Kuno-baby," she murmured. "Never underestimate a Sheikah!"

----

Only a short time later, Tatewaki stood in front of the king and his father, the chancellor. His hands were bound behind his back, with a pair of manacles. To his left and right, two attentive soldier were standing.

Nabiki was standing at the side of the chamber, together with her mother.

The king threw the captive boy a serious gaze, to which the young Kuno replied with what he believed to be a proud stance.

Chancellor Kuno shook his head. "Really, Tachi," he sighed. "Wot in Din's name were ya thinkin'? Da big Kahuna's seriously disappointed with ya, boy!"

"I don't care what you think," Tatewaki snapped. "I said it and I say it again: You are a disgrace for the Kuno family name!"

"My boy..." the king sighed. "You shouldn't go and tell others that they are a disgrace when you are the one on trial. But I'll give you the chance to defend yourself... So, what were you doing down in the treasure rooms? Why did you attack Nabiki? And, most importantly: What were your intentions with the Ocarina of Time?"

"Your Highness!" Kuno Jr. replied with all dignity he could bring up. "Believe me when I tell you that I always have been a loyal subordinate of the crown." He threw a hateful side glance at Impa and her daughter. "It's the Sheikah we have to watch out for. They can't be trusted. Believe me, Your Majesty, they are planning your downfall! They have conspired with the traitorous Zora to take over your throne!"

'Oh boy!' Impa sighed as she shook her head.

The king looked back at the young man intently. "Boy, you don't know what you are saying. The war between the Zoras and our kingdom is over for a long time. We have settled our differences. They are our allies, and I would never suspect King Zora to be a traitor. And about the Sheikah... they have been our loyal servants for such a long time, even longer than your family has been in our services."

"That cannot be," Tatewaki shouted. "They are cowardly fighters and always shroud themselves in shadows. What for, if not to hide their true schemings? I plead with you, Your Highness, please get rid of those traitors before it's too late!"

"I see we aren't getting anywhere here..." the king sighed. "Fine, and how would you justify your presence within the treasure rooms? From what Nabiki and the other guards told me, you seemed to be intent on entering the storage chamber of the Ocarina of Time, isn't that correct?"

"My king, everything I did was for the greater good. I was on a mission to retrieve the Ocarina, so it could be used for a powerful, defensive spell that would protect you from the army of the Zora!"

The king shook his head. He had heard enough. "Your son seems not to be right in the head, my friend," he whispered to his chancellor.

Kuno Sr. nodded sadly. "Oh, ever since my dear wife's death, poor lil' Tachi had been acting strangely... I dunno what to do with 'im anymore, my king."

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," the king told him. He then looked back at the accused in front of him.

"Tatewaki Kuno, I find you to be guilty. Guards, lock him into the dungeon - for his own good!"

"Your Highness!" Kuno struggled against the guards that wanted to take him away. "Listen to me... this is all a conspiracy! I tell you, they will attack! Execute the Sheikah while you can!"

The king just waved with his hand, and the guards dragged the yelling boy out of the room.

"He's gone insane..." he muttered. "Somehow, I feel sorry for the boy... but we can't let him walk around freely. He has become a threat for society and the kingdom."

The chancellor nodded, while a tear blinked in the corner of his eye. "Poor, little Tachi... whatever did I do wrong?"

The king sighed and stood up. "Well, I guess that's all... he definitely has lost his mind."

The king and chancellor left the audience chamber. Impa was going to follow them, when she saw the thoughtful expression on her middle daughter's face.

She put her hands on her hips and smirked. "All right, Nabiki, I know that expression of yours, so out with it: What's on your mind?"

"I dunno..." Nabiki muttered. "I mean, I realized that Kuno has some serious problems, but... somehow I believe that there's more to that story. I can't put my finger on it, but... I have the feeling that there might be someone out there who used Kuno for his own purposes."

Impa thought about it. She, more than anyone else, knew that her daughter was an attentive and smart girl, especially for someone her age. And that meant she wouldn't just say something like that if it was just a hunch.

"You might just be right, Nabiki," she finally said. "But let's not worry the king with it just now. Just tell me when you notice something unusual and... be very attentive, you hear me?"

Nabiki smirked. "Ain't I always, Mom?" she asked.

----

"Oh my gosh!" Kasumi clasped her hands together in front of her mouth in shock. "Are you serious, Nabiki?"

Her sister nodded. "Definitely! Kuno told me himself: The guy who told him to steal the Ocarina was none other than Ganondorf, the Gerudo king."

"Oh my..." Kasumi murmured. "But why? He clearly assured the king that his intentions were purely peaceful."

"Well, if what I fear is true, then all of that was just a big, fat lie, nothing else!"

"But why didn't you tell mother about this?" Kasumi asked curiously.

Nabiki sighed. "Because... Well, I wasn't too sure at the moment if I should tell her. I mean, perhaps Kuno is a delusional fool and imagined everything, but... What if not? What if there IS an army waiting out there, to invade our kingdom?"

"Now you're making no sense, Nabiki," the oldest Tendo sister said. "The Zora are peaceful. Why, I even came along with mother when she and Princess Zelda had once visited their kingdom. The queen was the nicest hostess you could imagine..."

"I don't mean the Zora, sis," Nabiki interrupted. "I mean the Gerudo! You know that they are known as a tribe of thieves and brigands, right? I always wondered why they suddenly wanted to swear loyalty to the king..."

"Well, if what you say is true, then you should tell mother immediately," Kasumi exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know," Nabiki nodded. "I just wanted to talk to you, you know? I was afraid that I would just cause unnecessary panic."

She nodded to herself and stood up from the stool she was sitting on. "I'll go and tell her right away."

"No need," their mother's calm voice came seemingly out of nowhere. "I already know..."

And then, their mother dropped down from the ceiling.

"Mother!" Kasumi gasped. "You startled me! What did you do that for?"

Impa smirked. "Just training, my dear!"

Nabiki looked down at the floor. "So... you heard everything?"

Impa nodded. "Yes. And I must say, it doesn't surprise me in the least. Princess Zelda has always suspected that Ganondorf would plan something, ever since she had that dream..." The Sheikah warrior sighed. "That's why Akane and Ryoga joined those two kids from the forest on their quest to gather the Spiritual Stones."

"The... the Spiritual Stones?" Nabiki gasped. "Mom, you don't believe that..."

"Oh yes, I do," Impa nodded. "What for would Ganondorf need the Ocarina of Time, if not for that? And from what the forest children told us, he has already attacked the woods for the Kokiri Emerald. Luckily they were able to protect it. And now Princess Kodachi is missing as well... I'm fearing the worst."

"Oh dear..." Kasumi was shuddering nervously. "Whatever shall we do if the Gerudo attack the castle, mother?"

"No worries, dear!" her mother replied. "If I inform the king now, he still has enough time to give his soldiers the necessary instructions. And maybe we can send some couriers to the Zora and Gorons, to ask them for assistance. I'll go talk with the king right away. Nabiki, go back on your post in the treasure rooms! We can't let the Ocarina of Time fall into their hands!"

"Got it, Mom!" Nabiki saluted and ran out of the room.

Now Impa looked at her oldest daughter. "Kasumi..."

"Y-yes, mother?" she asked nervously.

Impa put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Please pack a few things for the three of us... and the princess."

"Mother, why...?"

"I don't know..." Impa sighed. "I just... want to be prepared, you know? There's still the slight chance that the castle... may fall, when the Gerudo attack."

Kasumi gasped. "You can't mean..."

Impa nodded. "Yes. In that case, we have to take and flee with Princess Zelda... and the Ocarina of Time! We can't let them lay their hands on the heir of the throne or the most powerful artifact of the royal family. You know what the Ocarina is used for, right?"

"O-of course, mother..." Kasumi replied. "I'll prepare everything right away..."

Impa smiled at her. "Good girl! Let's just hope it never comes to this..." she added darkly.

----

Ruto struggled against the tentacle bonds that tied her to the organic walls in Lord Jabu-Jabu's skull chamber. "Release me at once!" she yelled. "You can't do this to me!"

A sparkle of light illuminated the darkness below the whale guardian's brain for a short while. "You are quite a peculiar creature..." a gentle voice exclaimed. "And your extensive head... beautiful. I suppose you must have quite an interesting brain."

Ruto shivered. "S-stop talking like that! You're giving me the creeps..."

The creature that was hiding in the darkness chuckled. "Oh yes, very interesting... and especially tasty, I'm sure!"

"EEEEEEK!" the Zora princess screamed. "HELP! ANYONE!"

"WE'RE HERE!" a loud voice shouted, as two figures came bursting through the chamber's entrance.

Ruto smiled when she realized the two persons. "Link! Akane!"

"Ruto, are you all right?" Akane asked in worry.

"GAH!" Link shouted. "What's THAT?"

A loud crackle made Akane jump in surprise. A sparkling stream of electricity suddenly illuminated the whole room and revealed the disgusting creature that was attached to Jabu-Jabu's brain with several slimy tentacles.

It looked like a giant version of the floating jellyfishes they had encountered on their way. But it wasn't floating, but stuck to the ground. While some of the monster's tentacles were sucking energy out of the brain (and controlled it at the same time), other ones were twitching through the air, as if they were searching for some invisible prey.

"Living prey..." the monstrous parasite said with its mental voice. "How delicious... I can't wait to suck out your brains!"

Akane grimaced. "That's... easily the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my life!"

"Gross!" Link groaned.

The monster seemed to smirk, even if it had no face. "Why, thank you!"

"This creature..." Navi gasped. "It must be Barinade! The oldest of the electrical jellyfish monsters! It must have been him who controlled Lord Jabu-Jabu by manipulating his brain waves."

"Clever little fairy!" Barinade replied. "But this knowledge won't help you, little kids... Not at all!"

"Watch out!" Link cried, when suddenly, six big jellyfish appeared out of nowhere. Dancing electricity connected their bodies with their master's, and then, the Bari started spinning all around Barinade's main body.

"They are trying to protect him!" Navi realized. "Find a way through them!"

"I'm trying," Link winced. He tried blocking the rapidly spinning monsters with his shield, but every time they hit him, he got thrown back.

"Well, what now?" he grumbled. "Shall I attack them all separately, with my Deku Sticks?"

"Don't worry!" Akane shouted, as she pulled out her boomerang. "Let me handle this!"

She aimed carefully and let her spinning weapon fly. It zipped right through two of the flashing jellyfish and struck Barinade's bulky main stem.

"Ooofff..." the parasite mentally groaned. "What a dirty trick..."

Because he was distracted by the pain in his abdomen, he couldn't maintain his connection to his servants, so they started floating around freely.

Link grinned as he drew two Deku Sticks at once! "Now you're gonna get it!"

And with stick strikes and boomerang throws, the two children eliminated the forces of the brain parasite.

Link grinned as he fell the final Bari with a powerful swipe. "There, wasn't that easy?" he smirked and threw the useless splinters of his stick aside.

"LINK!" he suddenly heard Ruto's scream of panic. "BEHIND YOU!"

Link looked around in confusion. "Huh? What?"

"Now I'm gonna BRAIN you!" Barinade yelled, as one of his tentacles shot forth and zapped the young hero with a beam of electricity.

"YAAAAARRRRRGGH!" Link screamed in pain, as the volts jolted through his body. Twitching uncontrollably, he fell down to the ground.

"Link!" Akane shouted in surprise, but as she turned around to face her fallen comrade, she didn't pay attention to what was happening behind her. A tentacle came shooting out of the cavern wall, snatched the boomerang out of her hand and snapped the weapon in two. Next, the tentacles pulled her to the wall and wrapped her up just like they did with the young Zora princess.

"Oh no!" Navi shouted in fear. "Akane! Link!"

Barinade chuckled gleefully. "Now isn't that cute?" he cackled. "Two young pups are trying to kill me? Nice try, but you really have to do better than that." He mentally licked his non-existent lips. "Hmmmm, your brains are still young and fresh... they're gonna taste delicious!"

"No..." Link groaned, as he tried reaching for his sword. "Have to... keep trying... can't let him kill us... and that whale... not like the Deku Tree..."

Things were really looking dim for our two heroes...

----

Ranko, neo-zora-girl and student of the Anything Goes school of martial arts, couldn't help but grin as she swam upstream, knocking swarms of fishes and Octoroks out of the way.

"This isn't half bad," she chuckled. "And here I was afraid of losing everything in the blink of an eye... so what if this body is female and half fish... I'm loving it!"

Saying that, she propelled her body through the surface of the river as she jumped up the waterfall, just like a salmon, and slipped through the hidden entrance of Zora's Domain.

Whistling a tune, she marched through the caverns until she finally re-entered the throne room. It didn't appear strange to her at all that no guards were guarding the entrance.

"I'm back!" she greeted her family, which was sitting on the stone steps leading to the spring. "Sorry if you were worried."

Nodoka looked up at her son/daughter with a sad smile. "Ran... ko..." she whispered. "At least you're back..."

Ranko was puzzled. Why was her mom acting so weird? And what's with the depressed looks on both her father's and King Zora's faces?

"Hey, I managed to come to terms with myself," Ranko shouted. "So where's the happy family reunion? And where's Ruto, by the way?"

By then Nodoka sobbed and gave her older daughter a deep hug. "Your... your sister..." she sniffled. "Lord Jabu-Jabu, he... he swallowed her."

Something seemed to snap within Ranma's mind. "Wha...?"

"It's true," the king sighed. "Two heroes that have been sent by Princess Zelda already went after her, but they haven't returned by now."

Ranko gritted her teeth. "My... my little sister? Why, I'm gonna turn that tuna fish into..." She then blinked. "Wait a minute... They went AFTER her? As in... into the whale's mouth?"

"Yes, of course," her mother said and quickly explained about the labyrinth within Jabu-Jabu's stomach.

Ranko clenched her fists. "Curse that Gerudo witch!" she snarled. "It's all because of her... But I'm not gonna give up on my sister, you hear me? NEVER!"

And with a loud yell, she pulled away from her mother's embrace and ran past the two baffled fathers, out of the cavern, towards the big mouth of Jabu-Jabu.

"Hey you cheap excuse for a koi carp!" she shouted. "I'M COMING IN, LIKE IT OR NOT!"

Somehow, the enormous whale felt that one or two broken teeth would be the slightest problem he would get when closing his mouth in front of that furious, little Zora girl... And even with his brainwashing, his instincts of survival convinced him that it would really be a good idea to open his mouth right now... BIG AND WIDE!

Ranko stormed right through the gaping jaws of the guardian whale, never looking once at the numerous monsters that were waiting for her in Jabu-Jabu's muzzle. She busted right through the bony barriers that were in her way, zipped through a few water-filled chambers within the whale's tummy and never stopped once while she was searching all throughout the labyrinth of caverns and tunnels for her little sister.

"RUTO! WHERE ARE YOU? I'M COMING!"

And then she heard a scream, coming from a room in front of her. She gritted her teeth, sped up, dimly saw that a bony door was blocking her way, raised her right fist...

...and slammed right through the barrier as if was made of cardboard.

With a mighty yell and in a shower of bony splinters, the sleek body of the furious Zora girl shot into the room, making Link, Akane and Ruto gasp in shock and the giant, electrical brain parasite flinch in surprise.

"What the heck?" Link muttered, while his body slowly recovered from the shock Barinade's attack has given him.

"BIG SIS!" Ruto shouted in joy. "YOU CAME!"

"Who are you supposed to be?" Barinade asked Ranko in confusion. "And how were you able just to burst through my barrier like that?"

Ranko didn't respond, but instead growled angrily. "Are you... are you the creep who hurt my sister?" she asked dangerously.

'What a stupid question,' Akane wanted to say, but instead, she focussed on freeing herself from the tentacles that were binding her to the cavern's wall.

"Huh? Oh, you mean this delicious-looking morsel?" the parasite chuckled. "Oh, I didn't harm her... yet. But I have the feeling her brains will taste just like caviar."

"WRONG ANSWER!" Ranko screamed as she leapt headfirst at the slimy monstrosity. With an angry yell, she wanted to punch right through the parasite's main body... but instead got thrown back from the shock she was receiving.

"YAAAAH! Ah, damn..."

"You young ones never learn, do you?" Barinade smirked. "You can't hurt me that way. For a while I really was afraid you might be able to tear me apart... what a joke! Hahahahahah!"

Link struggled to get back to his feet. "Akane..." he grunted. "Can you reach your boomerang? We need to stun it..."

"Sorry," the Sheikah girl shouted while she tried pushing some slimy tentacles off her body. "But it got snapped in two, remember?"

"If you want a boomerang, I can provide one," Ranko smirked. "HEY! BIG, FAT AND SLIMY!"

"What's wrong with that child?" Barinade sweat-dropped.

Ranko grinned and held her arms in front of her face. "CATCH!"

And with a swift motion, she hurled two swirling things at the monster, which looked very much like two boomerangs.

But they were, in fact, her fins.

"I can't believe it!" Ruto gasped in surprise. "Only very few Zoras have managed to pull off that trick!"

"Wh-what?" Barinade yelped as the spinning projectiles smacked into his side, causing his electricity to die down and his tentacles to go limp. "H-how is this possible?"

"Simple!" Ranko smirked as she charged her ki in her fist. "YOU HURT MY SISTER, YOU GONNA DEAL WITH ME!!"

And with her fist outstretched, she charged right through the enormous parasite, making goo and slime splatter all around the room and creating a gaping hole in its middle.

Barinade's tentacles were twitching wildly, while it's mental voice could only stutter: "Y-y-you... you'll p-p-pay for... t-t-this..."

"Fat chance!" Link smirked as he held onto his blade with both hands. "You're finished!"

And then he leapt at the mutilated body of the brain parasite with a powerful overhead jump attack.

"Take... THIS!!" he yelled and cut right through Barinade's remains.

Barinade could only utter a choked gasp, then a sickly gurgle, and then... his whole body exploded outwards, in a shower of messy goo and green fluids.

Akane grimaced as the green stuff was dripping down her face. "Oh man..." she muttered. "I think I'm gonna be sick...

Navi whined as she dropped down to the cavern's floor, covered from head to toe in the sticky slime. "I'll never get that stuff out of my hair..." she sobbed.

Ranko grunted something unintelligible and staggered back to her feet. "Heh... how'd you like that?" she muttered. She shook her head and saw how her sister was freeing herself from the tentacles that had bound her, but now were as limp as boiled noodles.

She smiled. "Ruto!"

Ruto threw the slimy tentacles aside, then looked back at Ranko with a smile. "BIG SIS!"

The two Zora girls ran at each other and met with a sweet hug. "I thought I'd never see you again..." Ruto whispered. "What you did was so brave... You could have died..."

"Heh, what should I say?" Ranko smirked. "Ranma Saotome doesn't lose!"

Link blinked in confusion. Akane was so puzzled that she stopped freeing herself from the limp tentacles. Navi simply gaped.

"Did you say Ranma SAOTOME?" they asked at once.

----

"This Great Fairy was... weird," Ukyo said, as she and Tatl walked out of the Fairy Spring's cave.

"Maybe," Tatl shrugged. "But she really helped out, did she?"

"Well, I am happy that I learned a new battle technique and all... but I would prefer to meet some NORMAL people for a change. You know... fairies, Kokiri, Dekus... those kind of people." She sighed. "I guess I really miss the forest already."

"Hey, you're not the only one," Tatl protested. "Just thinking about how many things Tael might screw up without my wise guidance makes me worry."

"Your wise guidance," Ukyo nodded. "Uh-huh... right..."

"Are you trying to...?" But then Tatl stopped herself in mid-sentence. "What the...?"

Ukyo looked to where her fairy companion was looking to... and gasped. There, on top of Death Mountain's rocky ridge, sat the biggest owl she had ever seen. The bird was easily as big as a cow.

"Hoo hoo," the owl began to speak. "Greetings, young one!"

"That's... a talking owl," Ukyo mumbled.

"I hope you are not too surprised," the big bird chuckled. "But I have the feeling that our meeting was predestined by the gods. I am called Kaepora Gaebora. May I ask for your names, my friends?"

"Um... I'm Tatl, and this is my friend Ukyo," Tatl replied, a little bit intimidated by the large presence of the bird.

Ukyo just continued to mutter: "That's a talking owl..."

"Ukyo," Kaepora Gaebora nodded. "You know, I can feel a strong will and an even stronger sense of justice within your heart. I believe you might be a child of destiny... but more about that later. I am here because I felt you might need a lift. If you want to go down to the bottom of the mountain, just hold onto my claws, and I'll take you right back to Kakariko village."

"What do you say, Ukyo?" Tatl asked her friend. "Sounds better than just walking all the way back, right?"

Ukyo stared at her companion. "That's a talking owl!"

"Yes, I believe we all established that fact," the owl said. "Now, as I said, would you like my assistance?"

"C'mon!" Tatl shouted. "Let's get off this mountain already!"

Ukyo looked at her fairy, shook her head and firmly pointed her index finger at the big bird. "THAT... is a bloody talking OWL!"

"Your point?" the owl asked.

Ukyo knew no answer for that question. She shook her head again. "Oh heck... never mind. I didn't actually expect something normal. So, we use a giant, talking owl to get back to the bottom of the mountain. Big deal..." She sighed. "Oh well, why not? Take me down, Kappy!"

Kaepora Gaebora sweatdropped. "Um... right. Okay then, hold on tight!"

Ukyo did as he said, and only seconds later, she was flying through the fresh mountain air, grabbing onto the owl's legs, all the while chanting: "I'mgonnafallI'mgonnafall..."

When they saw the roofs of Kakariko village appearing, Ukyo felt ready to throw up.

"Urk..." she mumbled. "I don't feel so good... quick, put me down there!"

"Umm... you want me to put you down on a roof?"

"I don't care where, but if you don't land right now, I'm gonna barf all over your feathers. So LAND ALREADY!"

The owl sighed. "Oh well... it's your decision." And he simply dropped his young passenger on one of the village's roofs.

"Ouch!" Ukyo yelped. "You could have been a bit more gentle, you know?"

The wise owl flew a circle above her head, while Tatl came flitting down next to her. "Hoo hoo! We'll meet again, child!" he shouted. "Always remember: You are a child of destiny!" And then he flew away.

After her stomach had calmed down a little bit, Ukyo looked up to where the big bird had vanished and shook her head. "I don't know about you, Tatl... but I think that guy was more than nuts."

"I don't know..." Tatl muttered. "Somehow, I have the feeling that there was more to him than meets the eye..."

----

"So, let me get this straight..." Akane frowned as she and the others were walking out of Jabu-Jabu's belly. "You've been cursed in a spring... and now you turn into a Zora girl every time you get splashed with cold water?"

Ranko shrugged. "That's about it."

"But..." Akane scratched her head. "If you're really a Hylian boy, how can you be that girl's sister... I mean, brother?"

"Um... that's a long story!"

Meanwhile, Ruto looked at Link with a longing smile. "You... you looked really cool, back in there."

Link blinked. Now why did he feel so uncomfortable all of a sudden? "Uh... thanks, I guess."

"You know..." the Zora princess blushed a bluish tinge. "I might actually like you... but only a little bit! So, if you want... I might give you a present, if you like."

"Really?" Link asked. "Wow, neat! Um... can I wish for something?"

"S-sure, why not?" Ruto giggled and turned her head around.

"Okay... then, can I have that stone of yours? The Spiritual Stone?"

"You want to have the Zora Sapphire?" Ruto asked in astonishment. "W-well, I... O-okay... You can have it!" She raised her right hand, which still held on to the shining gem. "This is my most precious possession, okay? So this is a big honor... My mother told me to give it to the man who will become my husband. You might call it the 'Zora Engagement Ring'.

"Uh..." Link scratched his head, not really understanding. "Okay... sounds great!"

"Really?" Ruto beamed at Link. "Oh wow, that's wonderful! Okay then, it's yours!"

And she handed her most prized possession over to the naive forest kid, a smile and big blush on her cute face.

Link didn't really notice her smiling face at all, he took the sapphire and smirked as he looked at it. "Oh wow! That means our mission is complete now! Now we can go back to..."

"Ruto!" the queen's voice interrupted his thoughts, as she came running towards the small group, just as they left the big mouth of the now gentle whale. "Ranko! Oh, I was so worried! Are you all right?"

Link watched how Nodoka hugged her two daughters. Rut hugged her back, while Ranko only seemed to be embarrassed. As the young boy was watching the scene in front of him, he sighed.

Navi sat down on his shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"

"Oh," Link murmured. "It's just... Looking at them, I wonder how it is like, to have family. There's nothing like that in the forest... the only parent we ever knew was the Deku Tree..." He felt depressed when he thought about the fate of the big guardian tree.

"Don't worry," Navi tried cheering him up. "You still have me, you know? And Saria and Ukyo... and all your other Kokiri friends."

Link sighed. "Still... when I see Ruto and her sis hugging their mom, I have the feeling that I'm missing something..."

----

Ganondorf was sitting on a big stone throne inside of the Spirit Temple. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep. He was thinking about his future...

Suddenly, his eyes opened. With a sudden movement, he stood up.

"Great Master?" the twin witches asked as they turned around with their brooms. "Is something the matter?"

"It is time," the Gerudo king stated. "Barinade is dead. I just felt his life force die away."

"Which means..." Kotake murmured.

"Yes." Ganondorf grinned. "I have the strong feeling that those children have gathered all of the Spiritual Stones. Our chance to strike has come. We shall leave immediately!"

In a dramatic pose, he threw his cloak to the side, as his arm made an impressive gesture. "Our destination is... Hyrule!"

"All hail Ganondorf!" the witches cheered and laughed.

Shortly after, Ganondorf and the twins left the Spirit Temple through its main entrance.

In front of them, one half of his army was already waiting. Lizalfos and Dinolfos were brandishing their weapons and were hissing viciously, while the undead Stalfos skeleton knights simply glared out of their empty, but glowing eyeholes. The ghostly Poes and the evil magicians of the Wizzrobe cult were floating above them. They were all ready to join with the Gerudo warriors at Gerudo Fortress, and to slaughter all Hylians that would be standing in their way.

Ganondorf raised his giant blade and bellowed a war cry, which was being answered by every monstrous member of his army.

He then turned back around to the two witches. "You two go back and complete the corruption ritual. I can deal with the king's troops by myself."

"But, my lord," Koume whined. "I was so looking forward to burn the king's soldiers in your name..."

"Leave the ritual to the Poe Sisters!" Kotake shouted. "We will show you our power, Lord Ganondorf!"

"No!!" Ganondorf almost bellowed. "You stay behind! The corruption of Princess Kodachi is a vital part of my plans... I can't count on those ghosts to complete the task by themselves. You have to watch that everything goes according to plan."

Koume and Kotake were very disappointed, but they didn't dare defying their lord's orders, so they bowed and said: "Yes, master..."

Deep below them, in the ritual chamber, Kodachi's body twitched in agony as her skin color slowly changed into a sickly green...

----

"KODACHI!"

Zelda gasped in shock as she awoke from her slumber.

The door opened and her confidant entered her chamber. "Princess," she shouted. "Did something happen?"

"I-it's Kodachi..." the princess whispered. "I just had a terrible dream, Impa... I saw my sister, lying in some dark room, surrounded by dark shadows... and she was in pain. She was suffering, Impa! What can we do? We have to help her!"

Impa thought about it. By now, she knew that Zelda's dreams sometimes were of a prophetic nature. But still... even if her sister was being tortured somewhere, in an unknown place, they wouldn't be able to do anything about it as long as they didn't know where that place was.

Zelda stood up and walked over to the window. "Link... Ukyo... and Akane... I hope you'll return very soon." She closed her eyes. "I have the feeling something terrible is coming at us, Impa... I'm afraid."

The princess didn't know how right she was, as the Gerudo troops and their dark allies were already marching through Gerudo valley... and as soon as they reached the Castle Town, not even the brave warriors of the king would be able to stop them.

But the throne of Hyrule wasn't enough for Ganondorf... the greedy Gerudo king really only had one big goal in mind: To open the gates within the Temple of Time, and to find the Golden Power that was waiting in the Sacred Realm... the Triforce!

----

In the dungeon of Hyrule Castle, one of the guards turned around his head in irritation as he heard the prisoner's muttering voice behind the massive steel dor of his cell.

"He will free me..." Kuno mumbled. "My lord will come for me, and then we will free the kingdom from filth like the Sheikah and the Zora... all traitors will fall down to my feet! And I... I will kill them all, in the name of the king... and my lord!"

The guard shuddered as the insane boy started his blabbering all over from the beginning. Why did he have to guard that guy of all people? The way he was babbling was giving him the creeps...


	7. A Meeting of Fate

Link and Akane were strolling over Hyrule Field, with the Zora Sapphire in their bag. They were glad that this chapter was finally over, but they couldn't help but worry about what the Gerudos would plan next. If what the old witch said was true, not only the Hylian kingdom was in danger, but all of Hyrule.

And there was one other problem: When they rejoined with Ukyo and Ryoga, should they mention Ranma at all?

Akane believed without any doubt that this Ranma was the same one that Ryoga held a grudge against. The way he described the young Zora-girl he bumped into while waiting for Ranma at Jusenkyo made it clear that this girl had been Ranma... or Ranko, respectively.

After giving it some thought, they decided not to tell their two friends for a while - at least not until they knew more about their grudges. And perhaps they wouldn't even meet Ranma again...

"Hey! Listen!" Navi's voice pulled them out of their thoughts. "I've been trying to talk to you two for some time now."

"Oh... sorry, Navi," Link sheepishly said. "What's the matter?"

Navi gestured ahead. "I just wanted to show you something... look who's over there!"

Link grinned when he realized the green-clothed girl that was approaching them from the direction where Death Mountain was lying.

He waved. "Yo, Ukyo! Over here!"

Ukyo saw them and came running. Soon, they could also see the spot of golden light that was hovering next to her head.

"Hey, everyone!" she greeted her friends after catching her breath. "How's it going?"

Link smirked and pulled the Zora Sapphire out of his bag. "Mission accomplished! And you?"

She smirked back and showed him the Goron Ruby. "Same here! So, this should be enough to protect this 'Triforce' thingy from that buffoon Ganondorf, eh?"

Akane looked closer at her face. "Ukyo, what happened? Your face is all green."

"Well, we met..." Tatl started to stay, but quickly shut her mouth when Ukyo glared at her.

When Link, Akane and Navi looked at her questioningly, she sighed. "Look, I'd rather not talk about it, okay? And please, do me a favor and don't mention the word 'owl' around me."

Link and Akane exchanged a confused glance, but shrugged and nodded.

That's when Akane noticed something. "Hey, where's Ryoga?"

"He stayed behind in Goron City," Ukyo explained. "His chief offered him to give him some training after we defeated the Dodongos within their cave, and he accepted. But..." She smiled. "He wanted me to tell you that he will return as soon as he's finished with the training."

"Well, that's good to hear," Akane said. "But hopefully he won't get lost again..."

"I dunno..." Tatl grinned. "He DID manage to follow us when we left the castle, remember? I guess he likes you so much that he simply can't bother with getting lost, eh?" She winked.

Akane blushed, while her friends giggled.

"So, you defeated some Dodongos?" Link asked. "Cool! The Great Deku Tree once told us about those nasty things... and you and Ryoga managed to beat them by yourselves? Not bad!" He smirked. "Lucky thing you didn't run into one of their kings, eh? I mean, they're supposed to be as big as my house."

But when he saw Ukyo's expression, he looked at her in awe. "You don't say... You... actually met one?"

Ukyo nodded.

"And you... fought him?" Another nod. "But how...?"

"Ryoga... grabbed him by his feet and... ahem... hurled him into a lava pool."

Link stared. "NO WAY! How can that Goron boy be so strong? Wow... I wish I could've seen it!"

"I'm glad I'm not there anymore," the spatula-wielding girl groaned. "That heat... I couldn't stand it." She then looked at her friend expectantly. "And you? What did you do to get your stone?"

Link and Akane looked at each other, once again.

"Um, we..."

"We walked through the innards of a giant whale."

Ukyo and Tatl looked at them, then at each other, and then they started to laugh uncontrollably. "Bwahahahahahah! That was a good one! No, really, what did you have to do?"

Akane considered telling the laughing girl and her fairy that what they said WAS true, but decided against it. It sounded too absurd in her own ears. So she simply sighed and said: "We had to help saving the Zora princess from a monster."

"Right!" Link nodded. "And her older sister Ranko helped us."

"You fought alongside a Zora princess? Was she a good fighter?"

"Um, you could say that," Link replied, recalling how easily Ranko tore right through the monstrous Barinade.

"And what was that about an owl?" Navi wondered. "Did you..."

"I thought we decided NOT to touch that subject, right?" Ukyo snapped angrily. "Now, can we please go back to the castle?"

And when they saw their friend marching ahead, the others wisely decided not to say anything more and followed her.

After they had been walking for some time, Navi fluttered up into the air and looked ahead. "I think I can see the city walls of Hyrule Town," she said.

"Great!" Ukyo grinned. "Then let's deliver those gems, so we can finally go back to the forest!"

"Something's wrong..." Akane suddenly muttered. "Why is it so dark above the town?"

They all stared at the clouds of darkness hovering over Hyrule Town, and the great plumes of smoke that were rising from the roofs of the houses.

"What... what's happening?" Akane whispered. Then, a thought hit her and she gasped. "The castle! MOM! KASUMI! NABIKI!" And she started running.

"Hey, wait up!" Link shouted. And they ran after the distressed Sheikah girl.

----

About two hours earlier...

Little Shampoo looked up from her resting place when her great-grandmother entered her room.

"Shampoo... I came to say goodbye. We'll be leaving now."

"I can't come?" the young Gerudo girl asked in a hopeful tone of voice.

The elder sighed and shook her head. "No, you are too young... but you know that, don't you? Now, be a good girl and wait until we return. As soon as Lord Ganondorf has conquered the kingdom of Hyrule, a better life will be waiting for us. The green plains of Hyrule will be ours to take. Not anymore will we live the life of outcasts, here in this dry desert." She smiled down at the child. "We will be free."

"Sounds too too good to be true," Shampoo sighed. "Great-Grandmother... you make sure to come back, is okay?"

Cologne smiled and petted the girl's head. "I'll do my best, child! Now stay here and do what Aunt Nabooru tells you to do, okay?"

"O-okay..."

Loud noises suddenly came from outside, strange bellows and shrill hisses.

Cologne sighed. "I guess the second half of our army just arrived..." She never liked working together with those monsters and outcast barbarians, but she had to do what her lord ordered her to do.

She took her broom and turned around to leave. "I'll come home as soon as I can, Shampoo! Wish us luck!"

The little girl then jumped from her resting place and hugged her great-grandmother from behind.

"You come back safely, yes? Is more important than taking over Hyrule... you promise?"

Cologne sighed. One of those days, she had to teach that girl the significance of their battle against the Hylians... but for now, she had a battle to fight.

So she simply said: "I promise, child!"

Shampoo then smiled and waved as the old witch climbed on her broom and flew outside.

----

Only a short march over the Hylian Plains later, the big army was standing in front of the gates of Hyrule Town. The startled guards on top of the big wall had quickly send a message to the king, to tell him that an army of desert thieves and monsters was approaching them.

And then, the knights and soldiers of Hyrule were standing on top of and behind the city walls, waiting for their enemies to attack.

But Ganondorf didn't attack immediately. "Let's let them sweat for a while," he decided, and the sight of the roaring and sword-swinging monsters really made the brave defenders of Hyrule worry.

After half an hour was over, Ganondorf finally raised his impressive blade and gestured at the walls that surrounded Hyrule Town.

"ATTACK!" he yelled.

And the battle for Hyrule had begun.

----

From the window of his personal chambers, the king of Hyrule looked down at the immense numbers of monsters, undead creatures and desert thieves that were surrounding his castle.

He sighed. He should have never believed in Ganondorf's lies and deceits. He should have listened to his daughter. He should have paid closer attention to what happened in the lands of his allies, the Gorons and the Zoras.

With a tired expression the king's shoulders slumped down. "Maybe..." he whispered. "This is the fitting punishment for a senile, old fool like myself..."

He wished the chancellor was at his side right now. He could use some of his usual cajoling to cheer him up.

But his so-called 'trusted advisor' turned out to be a coward who had locked himself inside his own room as soon as he heard from the Gerudo's invasion.

Well, at least Ganondorf had let the townspeople live. His troops simply cold-shouldered the scared inhabitants of Hyrule Town and marched straight towards the castle that was sitting atop the summit of the big hill. And now they were surrounding it from all sides.

The king had tried sending messenger pigeons to his allies, the Gorons and Zoras, but the flying monsters under Ganondorf's control quickly disposed of them.

There was no way to escape. They were trapped.

The door to the chamber opened. "Your Majesty!" It was Captain Mikado of the royal guard. "It looks like the enemy is making its move. What shall we do?"

Well, what was there to do? Was there even a chance of winning? The king felt so helpless right now. If he only had made the right decision...

"Your Majesty!" Suddenly, one of the castle maids stormed into the room. "Princess Zelda and Lady Impa are gone. I just went into her room to make sure they're fine, but they weren't there."

"What?" the king shouted in alarm and turned around. 'No, please not my daughter!' he thought. First they took Kodachi from him, and now his beloved Zelda?

"Where are Impa's daughters?" he asked. "Maybe they know where their mother has vanished to."

"I-I'm sorry, your majesty," the maid stuttered. "But I couldn't find them either."

Neither the maid nor Captain Mikado were able to interpret their king's expression right now.

"Your Majesty..." Mikado spoke up. "The enemy..."

King Gustaf the Third turned around to firmly stare into his captain's eyes.

"Tell your men that we won't back down! Let Ganondorf come! He took the two most precious things from me... he won't get my throne that easily!"

----

Princess Zelda and her nursemaid and bodyguard Impa, followed by Impa's daughters Kasumi and Nabiki, were running through the lower levels of Hyrule Castle.

'I'm so sorry, father...' Zelda thought. 'But I have to do this.'

The main entrance to the Treasure Rooms was unguarded, as most of the soldiers were standing on the castle walls to defend their king from the Gerudo army. But there were two guards standing in front of the entrance to the room where the Ocarina of Time was stored.

"Y-your Highness!" the soldier standing to the left stuttered in surprise. "You shouldn't be here. If the enemy attacks..."

"I know!" Zelda nodded. "That's why I need to take the Ocarina of Time to a safer place. Please, let me pass!"

The two soldiers looked at each other uncertainly, then blocked the entrance with their spears.

"I'm sorry, princess," the right one stated. "But we are under order from your father, the king... and he told us to let no one through until the enemy army has been defeated."

"We don't have time for this," Nabiki said impatiently. "If we don't hurry, the Gerudo will come down here and take the ocarina for themselves."

"I know," the princess sighed. "But they're just carrying out their duty..."

She nodded to Impa and Nabiki, and with very quick movements, the two Sheikah disarmed the soldiers and pressed them against the wall.

"W-wait!" one of them shouted, as Zelda ran into the chamber, right to the pedestal where the Ocarina of Time was lying under a thick glass dome.

She pulled out a silver key and removed the lock that kept the dome to the pedestal's surface. She quickly removed the dome and took the ocarina.

"If Ganondorf gets his hands on this artifact... he might become an even greater threat as he is now."

She ran back to the Tendo family and nodded. Nabiki and Impa understood and threw the two guards down to the floor.

"Please excuse us," Kasumi politely bowed before she followed her family and the princess. "But we have no time to explain."

Dazed, the two guards looked after the four females.

"Hiroshi, I still don't get it how kind, sweet Kasumi can have such a badass fighter like Impa as her mother," murmured one of them.

His pal nodded. "I know what you mean, Daisuke... you'd think she would be a tough girl like Akane and Nabiki." He winced. "Maybe Nabiki's a little bit too tough... ow... that hurts."

----

Meanwhile the fight had already started, and the air around Hyrule Castle was thick with the fog of war. Monsters, bandits and royal soldiers exchanged battle cries, while they were locked with each other in a heated battle.

Meanwhile, the Poe spirits had floated up to the castle walls where they tried to spook and kill the soldiers that were positioned up there. The wizards of the Wizzrobe clan, on the other hand, preferred to keep their distance and bombard their enemies and the castle gates with their deadly spells.

Finally, after a long and drawn-out battle, the main gate fell, and the Gerudos and Lizalfos cheered in triumph.

"My lord," Gerudo elder Cologne addressed her ruler. "The elite warriors are ready for the assault. Will you join them?"

But the evil desert king shook his head. "No, I'll stay here for now. I have to contact the Kuno boy... he will become a useful ally."

"But my lord," Cologne said. "Tatewaki Kuno is imprisoned within the castle's dungeon... how will you contact him?"

"I have my ways," Ganondorf smiled enigmatically. "Now go and instruct the troops... and you two make sure that no one disturbs me during the next ten minutes!"

The two Stalfos knights that were standing next to their master's dark steed nodded, while Cologne turned around her broom and flew over to where the elite warriors of the Gerudo were waiting for instructions.

Meanwhile, Ganondorf closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the dark energies of evil flowing through his veins, a feeling that always drew him near ecstasy.

"Come to me..." he murmured. "My ghostly double... Evil Spirit from Beyond... I summon you!"

And with a commanding gesture, he stretched both of his arms out and gestured at his own shadow, that was being cast on the hillside of Hyrule by the rays of the blazing sun.

And then, moving like a puppet on strings, the shadow began to stir and writhe, as it slowly got up from the ground and changed its shape.

Ganondorf grinned at his demonic counterpart that was standing in front of him, with blazing eyes that were staring out of a deformed skull.

"You go down into the dungeon and free the young Kuno. Give him this!" Ganondorf produced a small item from his belt pouch and gave it to his creation.

He looked into his dark double's burning eyes and asked: "You know what do do?"

And Phantom Ganon replied in a perfect replica of his voice: "Yes, master!"

----

Tatewaki Kuno was fidgeting around nervously in his cell, when he heard the sound of battle outside.

"I knew it!" he muttered. "They're attacking! The Zora... those demonic fish fiends!" He ran to his cell's door and shook the bars.

"Let me out of here!" he shouted. "I have to defend my king!" But, no one was around. All of the guards were outside, fighting the enemy. And the few other criminals that were sitting in their own cells either ignored him or simply yelled: "Shut up already, you nut case!"

Kuno Jr. gritted his teeth in anger. Those thugs... how would they understand the sorrow of a true nobleman like him? He turned around and leaned against the walls of his cell in despair.

He didn't notice it when suddenly, a dark shape came stepping out of the shadows. One of the other prisoners looked up and murmured. "Huh? Who's dat guy?"

The tall, armored man looked at the thug with disdain, raised his hand and uttered a simple word: "Sleep!"

Silently, all of the prisoners were falling asleep under the spell. All of them, except for Tatewaki Kuno.

The dark figure approached his cell and made a gesture with his arms. With a click and squeak, the door opened.

"Tatewaki!" a deep voice spoke up.

Kuno turned around in surprise. He gasped. "My lord!"

The dark phantom who was wearing Ganondorf's face smirked. "My boy, the time has come! You have to show the king your loyalty! Help him defend the castle from the intruders, and he will recognize you as what you really are: A noble knight in the service of the kingdom!"

Kuno bowed down in front of what he believed to be Ganondorf. "I will do as you say, my lord!"

Phantom Ganon then produced an item which he offered to the young swordsman. "Take this! It will give you the courage to protect your country!"

Kuno stared at the skillfully woven headband that was resting within his lord's grasp. He took it, bound it around his head and once again bowed down.

"I humbly accept this gift, my lord! I won't fail you... or the king!"

Phantom Ganon also made a long sword appear out of thin air and gave it to the young warrior. "I have to return to the battlefield," he exclaimed. "Fight your way out of the dungeon, and we'll meet each other in battle."

"I'm looking forward to it," Kuno said, while Ganondorf's double once again vanished in the shadows.

Suddenly a loud voice came echoing down the stairs. "Hey! What's going on down there?"

One of the king's soldiers entered the room and gasped upon seeing Kuno. "He escaped!" He aimed his sword at Kuno. "Don't move, or else..."

Kuno looked up from the ground. Through his eyes, the image of the soldier turned blurry, until it changed shape and turned into the image of a Zora warrior, armed with a deadly harpoon.

"Evil filth..." Kuno snarled as he grasped his blade. "Return to the depths where you came from!"

"He's insane..." the royal soldier muttered nervously.

Kuno drew back his blade and charged the man, who once had been one of his comrades, with a cry of: "DIE, ZORA VERMIN!"

----

Kuno ran through the corridors of the castle, striking down the soldiers from behind, believing them all to be hostile Zora warriors.

The Lizalfos and Gerudo warriors that have already breached into the castle were surprised that the royal defenders would be struck down by a member of their race, but then they remembered the words of their master, that a Hylian swordsman would fight at their side as soon as they would fight inside the castle.

The magical headband that was confusing Kuno's mind did not only make him believe that the Hylians were Zoras, they also turned Ganondorf's monstrous troops into Hylian soldiers.

"Don't hold back, men!" he shouted. "We will drive this vermin out of our kingdom! For our king!"

The monsters and Gerudos cheered in excitement, as all of them thought Kuno was talking about Ganondorf, the only king they were following.

Kuno fought at their side, cutting down everyone who stood in his way.

But then he saw a Hylian soldier that wasn't an illusion created by the headband.

"Mikado..." Kuno grumbled as he approached the captain of the guard. "You! You are siding with those aquatic fiends as well? You... TRAITOR!"

Mikado, who was standing among a small group of other soldiers, turned around and gasped. "Kuno? Who let you out of the dungeon?"

"My lord released me just in time for me to bring you to justice," the swordsman growled. "I always knew you were a fool... claiming the title of captain even though you're not even of nobility. But now you've gone too far." He firmly grabbed the handle of his blade. "Draw your sword, cur!"

"You really are insane, Kuno!" the captain muttered. "You are fighting alongside those monsters and yet you call me a traitor?"

"How dare you call the noble defenders of our kingdom monsters?" Kuno snapped, still believing the Stalfos that were surrounding him to be living, Hylian warriors. "ENOUGH!"

And he stormed right at Mikado, who in turn raised his own blade and met the young Kuno in a clash of steel.

----

Kasumi yelped in fright as a fireball, shot by a floating Wizzrobe, exploded on the wall above their heads.

Her mother quickly disposed of the evil magician by swiftly throwing a barrage of sharp needles at him. The cloaked wizard let out a choked gasp, before he imploded in a burst of fire and darkness.

"Quick, we're almost there!" Nabiki shouted as she, along with her sister, mother and princess were running towards a small door at the end of the corridor, which was leading outside.

All over the courtyard, monsters and Hylians were fighting each other. Zelda quickly stepped aside when the body of a soldier fell down from the castle wall, his chest pierced by the arrow of a Gerudo archer.

"We'll use Silver and Streak," Impa shouted. "They're the two fastest horses in the stables."

"Shall I saddle them?" Kasumi asked as she quickly threw a blanket over the backside of the white mare called silver, the personal mount of Princess Zelda.

"No time for that," Nabiki shot back as she jumped on the backside of the black stallion Streak. "We'll have to ride like this."

"Oh my..." Kasumi murmured as she climbed up as well and wrapped her arms around her sister's waist. "I've never ridden before, you know?"

"Then you better hold on tightly," Impa said as she helped her princess get up on Silver's back. "This ride will be no pleasure cruise!"

She looked over to her two daughters as she grabbed the reigns. "Are you two set?"

Nabiki and Kasumi nodded nervously, when suddenly, the shrill scream of a Lizalfos echoed through the stables.

Impa threw the lizard warrior that had appeared at the entrance of the stables an angry glare. "We'll just ride him over! Let's go!"

She spurred her horse, and Silver neighed wildly as she stormed out of the stables, throwing the screeching Lizalfos to the side. Streak, mounted by Nabiki and Kasumi, quickly followed.

Angry shouts came from all directions as the princess and her bodyguards were riding through the big courtyard. Multiple archers were firing their arrows at the two horses, but Zelda reacted quickly.

She stretched out her hands and shouted: "Nayru's Love!"

A blue, flickering crystal, made of magical energy, suddenly surrounded the two horses, shielding them and their riders from the arrows and every other attack that was flying in their direction. Even the magical spells of the Wizzrobes bounced off harmlessly.

"A good thing you managed to learn that spell quickly, princess," Impa remarked. "Otherwise we'd never make it through here alive."

"Hopefully I won't run out of magic energy before we're out of here," Zelda muttered, straining herself to hold up the magical barrier.

----

Ganondorf smirked as he saw the white and the black horse coming out of the castle gates, running down the hill.

"It is time," he said to elder Cologne, who was hovering next to him. "Tell the troops to kill every single Hylian soldier in the castle... except for the Kuno boy, of course! This will be our example for the rest of Hyrule! Everyone who opposes me will die."

"As you wish, my lord!" Cologne nodded. "Do you wish an escort that comes with you?"

The Gerudo king shook his head. "No! I want to do this by myself. I know our 'special guests' will be arriving soon. This meeting... will be a meeting of fate!"

He grinned. "I will meet my fate... just as Hyrule met its own fate!"

----

"Oy, dis is bad," Chancellor Kuno muttered as he stumbled through the ruined corridors of Hyrule Castle. Lifeless bodies were lying around, debris that has fallen down from the ceiling was blocking his way, and all the time he could hear the ongoing battle in the other halls of the castle.

He would have preferred to stay in the safety of his chamber, but as it turned out, those chambers weren't that safe. After nearly peeing his pants when a Gerudo warrior leapt through his window, the only reason why he was still alive was that by accident, the chandelier hanging from the ceiling had crashed down on the female bandit.

"Gotta go to da king, he'll protect his most loyal follower," Kuno Sr. murmured as he scampered through the castle, on his way to the royal chambers.

When he opened the door, he was glad to see the king sitting on his chair.

He grinned, hiding his state of panic. "Aloha, king! Well, dis is quite de mess we're in, right? Perhaps you can give da big Kahuna a lil' bit of sanctuary, eh?"

But His Majesty didn't respond, so that the chancellor frowned in irritation. "Huh? Why are you all still?"

He walked over to the king's body, tipped on his shoulder... and gasped when he fell over, revealing the mortal wound on his backside.

A sly chuckle made the chancellor turn around. Crouching on the windowsill was one of those bloodthirsty lizard-men, his short sword dripping with blood... the blood of the king.

"The king isss dead..." it hissed in its shrill voice. "Long live the king!"

And then it leapt outside, cackling maniacally.

The chancellor was shaking like a leaf by now. The king... dead? What was he supposed to do now?

Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from the corridor. He turned around... and looked right into the face of his son.

"T-tachi," Kuno Sr. blurted out in shock. "W-what are you doing here?"

Tatewaki didn't respond. His gaze was fixed on the limp body of the man he had sworn to protect.

"My... my king..." the young swordsman whispered as he stumbled into the room. He then looked over to his father, whose hands were red with blood... the blood from the king.

"Y... you..." he grumbled dangerously.

"N-now wait there for a moment, Tachi," Chancellor Kuno said nervously. "This isn't what it looks like..."

Kuno Jr. grabbed his sword in a wild rage. "You... YOU MURDERER!"

And when he saw his son coming at him, the chancellor waved his hands in a panic. "Now, don't do anything hasty, boy... It's me, your father! No, Tachi, don't... no! NOOOOOOO!"

----

A dark cloud was hovering over the town of Hyrule and poured its rain down onto its streets and buildings.

In front of the massive drawbridge, a trio of young children was standing, accompanied by two flying spots of light, one blue, one yellow.

Link stared up at the golden Triforce sign that was adorning the wall over the wooden, withdrawn drawbridge.

"All of this..." he murmured. "Looks familiar, somehow..."

"Don't speak such nonsense now!" Akane grumbled. "We have to get in there, somehow!"

"Look," Ukyo shouted. "It's opening!"

And just as she said, the enormous drawbridge slowly descended, being held by chains that were as thick as tree trunks.

After the bridge hit the ground with a dull sound, Ukyo looked at her friends and shrugged. "Well, I dunno who opened it, but now we can get in, right?"

Link was going to nod, when he heard a strange sound. As he had been raised in the forest, it was expected that he wouldn't know such a sound. But Akane realized it as the sound of clopping hooves on the hard streets, accompanied by a sharp whinny.

"Look out!" she then shouted and pushed her friends to the side, as a black horse suddenly appeared out of nowhere, almost running them over. It was closely followed by a second, white one.

From where she was lying on the ground, Akane could easily recognize the two people that were sitting on the black steed's backside.

"Nabiki... Kasumi...?"

Link, on the other hand, saw only Princess Zelda, as she was sitting in front of Impa, who was holding the white horse's reigns. She looked at him, fearfully, but also with eyes that were filled with trust.

----

"That's Akane over there! Mom, we have to stop!" Nabiki yelled.

"Too late for that, she will have to follow us," Impa shouted ahead. "Go faster!"

The princess, who was cowering in front of her, only had eyes for a certain, green-clothed boy...

And in a resolute motion, she grabbed something within her pockets... and hurled it backwards, towards the three children that were lying on the ground.

"No! PRINCESS! What have you done?" Impa was almost ready to turn around the horse. "That was the Ocarina of Time... our last hope!"

"I know, keep going!" Zelda commanded. "That's why I'm entrusting it to Link... I know he won't fail me. He will keep it safe."

"He won't know what to do with it in the first place," Impa pointed out.

"I know," the princess sighed. "That's why I'm going to send him a telepathic message... now keep riding!"

----

Link saw how the strange object, thrown by the princess, flew over his head in a wide arc, until it fell into the town's moat with a small splash.

He and Ukyo exchanged a confused look. "What do you suppose could that be?"

Akane only looked after the two horses that were slowly disappearing in the distance. "Mom... Kasumi... Nabiki..."

Link shook his head. "You know, I've seen all of this before... it happened in a dream I once had."

"Are you sure?" Navi asked.

"Yeah, it was right before I met you for the first time," Link nodded.

Suddenly, a loud snort startled all of them and made them turn around.

Standing in front of them was another horse, a stallion as black as the night, with flaming red eyes... and it was mounted by that man they all knew to be their greatest adversary... Ganondorf!

They were all very confused how he managed to sneak up on them like that... they didn't even hear the hoofbeats of his steed.

The black stallion was rearing up, as Ganondorf was staring into the distance. "Curses..." he muttered. "They got away!"

He then sharply turned his head around to look at the assembled children. "You there! Little kids! You must have seen the two horses gallopping by just now... Which way did they go? Answer me!"

"Dream on!" Ukyo snarled. "We won't tell you anything!"

Akane didn't say anything, but her friends could see that she was not willing to betray her family, so she resolutely raised her fists. Link smirked at her as he drew his sword.

"So, you think you can protect her from me?" Ganondorf smirked. "You've got guts, you brats!" He chuckled ominously. "Heh heh heh... You want a piece of me? Very funny..."

The Gerudo king simply raised his right hand, and the three children could see how the magic energy got concentrated in the middle of his palm, forming a bright ball.

"Look out!" Akane screamed, performing a backwards sault. But Ukyo and Link weren't able to dodge the attack in time, and when the magic ball flew at them, the force of the blast threw them both to the ground.

"Link!" Navi gasped.

"Ukyo!" Tatl screamed.

Ganondorf pulled back his hand and chuckled. "Pathetic little fools! Do you realize who you are dealing with?"

He glared at them. "I am Ganondorf! And soon, I will rule the world!"

He then spurred his black steed, riding past the three stunned children and their fairies like a dark comet.

Link looked after him. Somehow, he knew that this wasn't his last encounter with the master of evil...

"He... he's going after the princess! And my family!" Akane's fists were trembling. "We have to go after him."

"Now wait just a minute," Ukyo called up. "Don't you think we should look at whatever the princess threw into the moat? I think it has to be important if she throws it away while fleeing for her life."

"I don't care!" Akane snapped. "I have to save my family!"

"Look, whatever it was, she most definitely wants us to have it, or else she wouldn't have thrown it," Ukyo said impatiently. "Don't you think we should respect that?"

"I got it," Link suddenly shouted behind them, as he climbed back out of the moat. In his hands, he was holding a blue item.

Akane gasped. "Is that..."

"I suppose so," the blonde boy nodded and opened his hand.

And they all stared down at the small, blue instrument that was resting in his palm.

"The Ocarina of Time..." Navi whispered.

Suddenly, Link clutched his head. "Oh... what's that?"

"Link, what's wrong?" Ukyo shouted in alarm. That was the last thing he heard before a soft voice reached his mind...

----

Link saw Princess Zelda, as she was standing in a white void, clutching something to her chest.

"Link... can you hear me? It's me, Zelda.

When you hold this ocarina in your hand... I won't be around anymore. I wanted to wait for you, but I couldn't delay any longer. At least I could leave you the ocarina... and this melody."

Zelda's mental image raised the ocarina to her lips. "This song... it opens the Door of Time."

And then, soothingly, the princess began to play the notes of the song... a song that Link would never forget.

The Song of Time...

"Play this song in front of the altar in the Temple of Time!" Zelda's voice reached him one last time. "You must protect the Triforce!"

----

Link shook his head, as the faces of his friends became visible to him again.

"What happened?" Tatl asked. "You just zoned out on us there!"

"I... I got a message from the princess," Link groaned. "She... wants us to protect the Triforce."

He looked down at the ocarina in his hands, then he pulled out the Zora Sapphire.

Ukyo took out the Kokiri Emerald and the Goron Ruby and looked at them as well.

Both of them understood: They couldn't allow Ganondorf to lay his hands on these artifacts OR the Triforce.

"We're going!" Link said in a determined voice. "We will protect the Triforce!"

"I'm with you!" Ukyo said firmly. The two fairies nodded.

"I'm not coming," Akane suddenly said. The two forest children turned around in surprise.

"Akane?"

Akane looked at them. "Don't you see... I have to go back to my family! I have to make sure that creep won't hurt them. And besides..." She suddenly smirked. "Someone has to protect the princess as well, right?"

Link and Ukyo looked at the young Sheikah girl in surprise, then Link smiled and nodded. "All right... we'll leave it to you, then. Go and protect the princess and your family... we will take care of the Triforce!"

Akane gave him the thumbs up. "You can count on me!"

She nudged Link's shoulder playfully and gave the surprised Ukyo a quick hug. After waving at the two fairies, she turned around and started running, towards the open fields of Hyrule.

She turned back around one last time and waved at her friends, then she kept on running, until she was gone.

"We'll see her again," Link said. "I'm sure of it."

Together, the two friends then turned to face the entrance to Hyrule Town.

"Let's go... to the Temple of Time!"

----

Darkness has covered all of Hyrule.

In the silence of the night, the undead forces of Ganondorf, king of the Gerudo, were marching through the Castle Town, spooking the good people of Hyrule with their presence. And what at first had just been a rumor, had turned into a shaking piece of news that was spreading throughout the entire population:

The king was dead!

After having conquered Hyrule Castle, Ganondorf just positioned a few of his forces into the city and never thought once about informing his new subjects about his new position as their king... he would do so as soon as he was holding the Golden Power within his own hands!

After a troop of Stalfos knights had vanished behind a corner, a pair of green-clothed kids stealthily hurried through the otherwise silent back alley. A pair of floating, colorful lights were following them.

"That Ganondorf..." Tatl muttered. "I would have loved to kick his butt..."

"You saw how easily he finished us off, right?" Ukyo grumbled. "I'm afraid there wasn't much we could do about it... but we have to at least follow the princess' wish and take those Spiritual Stones to the Temple of Time."

"Yeah... if we only knew where it was," Link muttered. "She could have given us a map of town, along with the ocarina, could she?"

"Well, it's not like she had much time to prepare such a map," Ukyo sighed. "Oh well, let's just keep on searching..."

Navi then turned around in mid-air and looked up.

At the impressive, cathedral-like building that was towering behind them.

"Guys...? I think we might have found it."

----

It was quiet inside the Temple of Time. Even though it was dark outside, the temple's interior was illuminated by some unseen source of light.

In awe, the two forest children and their fairies looked around, at the impressive stained glass windows, the awe-inspiring symbol of the Triforce on the wall ahead of them, and the marble altar standing below that symbol.

And the Gates of Time behind it.

Carefully, they approached the altar. Link knelt down and took a look at the inscription on its surface.

He then turned around and laughed bashfully. "I can't read it..."

Ukyo groaned. "Some hero you are..." she muttered. "Move aside, I'll take a look at it..."

She knelt down next to her friend and read the inscription aloud:

"Ye who owns 3 Spiritual Stones

Stand with the Ocarina of Time

And play the Song of Time."

She blinked. "That's all?"

Link shrugged. "Apparently… Okay, I can do that!"

They took out the 3 Spiritual Stones and put them onto the altar, next to each other. First the Kokiri Emerald, then the Goron Ruby, and finally, the Zora Sapphire.

Link then grabbed into his pocket to take out the Ocarina of Time, but he accidentally grabbed the wrong ocarina.

"Whoops," he said and chuckled. "That's the one Saria gave to me."

He then looked down at the wooden instrument and sighed. "I really wish that we can go back to the forest after this. Hopefully Ganondorf will leave us Kokiri alone... Well... at least that's what I hope. I mean, with the Deku Tree gone..."

Ukyo put her hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't worry! With Saria, Mido and Konatsu back there, they'll have everything under control. And right after we made sure that Ganondorf will never lay his hands on the Triforce, we can go back home."

Link smiled and nodded. "Yes, you're right. So, no worries, huh?"

Ukyo grinned and shook her head. "Nope, not a single one!"

Link then put Saria's ocarina back into his bag... and took the Ocarina of Time.

He put them to his lips... and began playing the Song of Time!

And when he was finished, the Triforce symbol above them, up on the wall, suddenly began shining in a golden light. The light streaming forth from the three yellow triangles was blinding them for a short while, but afterwards, the Gate of Time... was moving.

Slowly, the massive stone plate parted in the middle, and both halves of the gate moved aside with a scraping sound, revealing the entrance to another hall behind it.

Confused, Link put down the ocarina. "I thought this was the entrance to the Sacred Realm?"

"I don't get it either," Ukyo shrugged. "But perhaps we'll find it somewhere over there."

Together, they entered the big, empty hall behind the Gate of Time, with a ceiling that was even higher than in the entrance hall. Rays of moonlight shone into the chamber, illuminating a grand pedestal standing in the middle of the room.

Marmoreal stairs were leading up to that pedestal, and several strange emblems were surrounding it.

And in its middle...

Navi gasped. "Link, isn't that..."

She flew over to the weapon that was stuck in the middle of the stone, glinting in the moonlight.

"It's that legendary blade..." she whispered. "The Master Sword!"

"You're kidding, right?" Tatl blurted out.

Ukyo and Link looked at each other, shrugged and said, at the same time: "The what?"

"Oh, come on!" Tatl shouted. "Don't tell me you never heard about the legend where the hero took the sword of evil's bane and... never mind!" She sighed. "Obviously, the two of you lack a proper general education."

"Hey!" Ukyo snapped, but Link walked up to the pedestal.

"I don't get it," he said. "What's this sword doing here? The princess told us all about the gate leading to the Sacred Realm, and the Triforce, and now all we get is this shabby sword?"

"It's not 'shabby'," Navi protested. "The Great Deku Tree once told me it was being forged to fight creatures of evil."

Link shrugged. "Yeah, whatever... So, what do we do? Just pull out the sword out of the stone?"

"Sword in the Stone," Ukyo chuckled. "Heh, sounds like the title of a novel... Well, step aside, I'll take care of it!"

And she stepped past her confused friend, climbed up onto the pedestal, rolled up her sleeves and pulled.

It didn't move.

"What the heck?" she gasped and tried again. It didn't budge an inch. "What's with that thing? Is it stuck?"

"What, are your arms made of Chu Jelly or what?" Link mocked. "Ah, c'mon, lemme give it a try!"

He gently shoved the protesting Ukyo out of the way, grabbed the handle of the sword, pulled...

and it easily slid out of the stone.

He grinned. "Seems like a man is needed for that kind of job!"

But suddenly, the whole pedestal shone up in a strange, green light that surrounded them all.

"What the...?" Ukyo gasped. "Link, what did you do?"

"Me?" the blonde boy protested. "You wanted to pull that thing out of there, right?"

But neither could say anything else, as the light suddenly turned more intense and seemed to engulf them all.

For a while, everything was quiet. They couldn't hear or see anything, just the blinding whiteness all around them.

And then, they heard that laughter... a laughter that would be haunting their dreams!

A dark figure appeared in the middle of the light.

"Geh heh heh..." the king of the Gerudos chuckled. "Excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have lead me to the gates of the Sacred Realm... Yes, I owe it all to you brats!"

And then he let out a long, roaring laugh - and that was the last thing they heard before they passed out.

----

Somewhere, in the middle of the Lost Woods, the Sacred Forest Meadow...

Saria looked up at the leaves of the trees and sighed. "I wonder how they are faring?"

Sprite fluttered up to her face and smiled. "Don't worry! Nothing can stop those two! And remember, they always have Tatl and Navi with them. They'll be fine!"

"I guess so, but still..." the green-haired girl murmured. "I have this feeling that something has happened to them..."

The brown and green shape of a Deku dropped out of the trees. "Don't worry!" Konatsu said with confidence. "Even if that's true, they will find a way to come back to us." He clasped his hands in front of his wooden chest. "For it was Ukyo who taught me... to never give up on my wishes." He looked at Saria. "And so... I'm wishing with all my heart for Ukyo and Link to return some day, to our forest."

"Yeah, that's what I'll do as well," a dark purple spot of light nodded, as he zoomed in next to his Deku friend. "I'll be waiting for sis and the others to come back, always!"

Saria smiled back at Konatsu, Sprite and Tael. "Thank you, everyone! I'll try and do my best as well." She closed her eyes as she imagined the faces of her two best friends. "No matter how long it takes... I will be waiting."


	8. Seven Years later

"Link... Ukyo...

Wake up...

Chosen Ones of Hyrule..."

With a deep groan, Ukyo slowly opened her eyes. "Wh... where? What? Where am I? What happened?"

Another groan coming from her left told her that Link was still with her. Something about his voice seemed a little odd, but she had no time to think about it, when suddenly, a bright ball of yellow light appeared in front of her face.

"Ukyo!" Tatl shouted. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... yeah, I think so..." Ukyo groggily muttered as she took note of her surroundings.

She was crouching in the middle of a strange hall, on a white pedestal with various, colored emblems adorning its surface.

She dimly noted the presence of an elderly man dressed in an elaborate, red robe, before her gaze fell upon her companion.

"Link?"

The handsome teenager in adult-sized Kokiri clothing blinked. "Ukyo?" he asked in a very familiar voice.

Ukyo gasped. "What the heck happened to you?"

"To me? What happened to YOU?"

"What do you..." Ukyo stopped herself in mid-sentence when she heard her voice. It sounded deeper, somehow. "What the...?"

She wanted to jump to her feet, but her center of balance was totally off, and she felt an unfamiliar weight upon her chest.

"Whoa!" She stumbled forward, directly into the arms of her teenaged friend, who quickly caught her.

"Th-thanks..." she murmured, then realized that they were actually still about the same size.

And that two soft, sensitive parts of her anatomy (which she was sure she didn't have earlier) were pressed into his muscular chest.

"GAH!" she cried, jumped back, went stumbling once again, caught her balance and stared down at her body.

The concept of growing up was somehow foreign for the Kokiri, but as she clearly remembered arriving in the forest after her father's death, and remembering her mother from before she died, she knew what a grown-up Hylian looked like.

"What's going on?" she asked while her hands didn't dare touch anything unfamiliar on her body. She saw that she still wore a modified version of her old Kokiri Tunic, but, just like Link's clothes, it had grown to adapt to her new, um... proportions. "Why do I have BOOBS?" she nearly shrieked.

"Well, that happens when a girl grows up," Tatl smirked. "Didn't you pay attention in biology class?"

"Very funny!" Ukyo growled. "For your information, I'm TWELVE! Twelve-year-olds aren't exactly what I would call a 'grownup'!"

"But the same thing happened to me," Link muttered. "How did that happen?"

"Um... excuse me..." a voice spoke up.

The two neo-teenagers turned around. "WHAT?"

The old man with the white beard flinched a bit under their combined voices. "No need to get loud," he scowled. "I want you to know that I may be old, but still can hear perfectly fine!"

"Who are you?" Navi asked curiously. "And where are we?"

"Yeah, the last thing I remember is me grabbing the Master Sword and then... nothing!" Link shook his head in confusion.

"Let me explain..." the man spoke up. "My name is Rauru... I am one of the Sages. And you are within the Temple of Light."

Link scratched his head. "Temple..."

"...of Light?" Ukyo asked.

"That's correct!" Rauru nodded. "The Temple of Light, situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm, is the latest stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces."

"The Sacred Realm?" Navi gasped. "We are in the Sacred Realm?"

When the Sage nodded, Ukyo grinned. "Hey, that's great! We wanted to come here anyway! Link, we have to hurry! We have to find the Triforce before..."

The Sage raised his hands in a reassuring manner. "Now, now, calm down! I'm afraid you are not quite up-to-date with the current situation."

"What does that mean?" Link frowned. "And why do we look like this anyway?"

Rauru sighed. "Well, it all started when you pulled out the Master Sword..." And the old man gestured at the weapon hanging on the young warrior's back.

Link, taken aback, drew the blade from its sheath. He didn't even realize that is was placed there, instead of his Kokiri Sword.

The sacred blade was gleaming in the dim light of the temple.

"The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch," the Sage started to explain. "Only one worthy of the title 'Hero of Time' can pull it from the Pedestal of Time..."

Rauru then sighed and closed his eyes. "However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time. Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. And now that you are old enough, the time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time!"

"No way!" Tatl said in awe as she stared at Link and his new weapon.

"Am I the only one to realize that this makes no sense?" Ukyo muttered. "Kokiri don't grow up!"

"Well, actually, there's a simple explanation for that..." Rauru said.

"We have no time for that!" Link interrupted. "What about the Triforce?"

"Yes, the Triforce..." Rauru sighed, once again. "You must know, while you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm. He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil."

The two teenagers and their fairies gasped in shock and surprise. "Ganondorf already got the Triforce?" Link shouted. "I can't believe this... what do we do now?"

"There is still hope," the Sage spoke up.

"There is?" Ukyo wondered.

Rauru nodded. "The power of the Sages... When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' seals will seal all the evil in the void of the realm. I, Rauru, am one of the Sages."

"So that means we only have a chance of beating Ganondorf with the help of those Sages?" Ukyo asked. "Great... we fail one mission, just to get thrown into another adventure..."

"I don't care!" Link suddenly said, determination written on his face. "I don't care if seven years have passed and Ganondorf has the power of the Triforce... because I'm gonna find those other Sages and teach him a lesson!"

Tatl grinned. "Now we're talking!"

Navi nodded. "Yes, together, we can do it!"

"Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword..." Rauru spread his arms. "And you too, Ukyo - for the two of you share the same fate. Keep my spirit with you. And find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!"

And with those words, the Sage handed the young heroes a medal... the Medallion of Light!

"Keep this medallion and you will find the other Sages. Awake them from their slumber, Hero of Time... and you help him, Ukyo! For destiny has chosen you... you are the Children of Destiny!"

A white light suddenly embraced the foursome.

Ukyo gasped. "Hey, wait a minute... Can't you explain to me, just why...?"

"You will understand, at a given time," the voice of the Sage reached her ears. "Now, go! Find the other Sages and save Hyrule!"

And then the chamber faded from their sights and vanished.

----

When the bright light was gone, they once again found themselves standing next to the pedestal of the Master Sword.

"We're back..." Navi whispered. "We're back in the Temple of Time..."

Ukyo looked around in awe. Everything looked exactly like when they came here for the first time.

"But..." she murmured. "Have seven years really passed?"

Link didn't respond. She heard him fumbling around with something. Then he groaned. "Oh, great..."

"What?" she wondered and turned around. She then winced, as she felt her breasts swaying around. "I really can't get used to those things..." she grumbled while looking down. "I have to keep them in place somehow..."

"Maybe with some breast wrappings?" Navi suggested. Ukyo grinned. "Good idea!"

She then turned to face Link. "Now, what's wrong?"

Link was staring down at his Kokiri Sword and slingshot, which both looked tiny is his hands. "I don't think I can use those anymore..."

----

'All right, there they are, you can do this,' the hooded figure mentally told herself. 'It may have been a long time, and Ganondorf isn't supposed to find me, but after all, they wouldn't know where to go... and they won't recognize me. So, get going, girl!'

And when she saw the green-clothed figures of Link and Ukyo step out of the Master Sword's chamber, she stepped out of the shadows.

She didn't say anything, but suddenly, the young swordsman turned around while drawing his blade.

"What the...?" Ukyo stuttered in surprise. Upon seeing the blue-clothed and hooded figure, she let out a gasp. "Who are YOU?"

The first that came to Sheik's mind when seeing Link's grownup body was 'Yummy', but she then mentally scolded herself and came a step closer.

"I've been waiting for you, brave heroes." Sheik made her voice sound deeper so they wouldn't realize she was actually a girl.

"Oh, really?" Link sceptically asked. "And how would you know that we are here? What do you want?"

Sheik stayed silent for a while, then she spoke up: "When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples."

"You know about the Sages?" Ukyo blurted out.

Sheik nodded. "One in a deep forest... one on a high mountain... one under a vast lake... one within the house of the dead... one inside a goddess of the sand... Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world."

"Sounds really mysterious," Tatl said.

"Whatever," Ukyo grumbled. "I would like to know where he learned about all of this... and why he's telling us everything."

"This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah," the stranger spoke up. "I am Sheik. Survivor of the Sheikahs."

Ukyo mentally slapped herself. Of course... how couldn't she recognize the clothes in which the young warrior was dressed? She had seen similar garments on Akane and her mother.

"You're a Sheikah?" Link asked as he sheathed his sword. This guy didn't seem to be a bad person. "Do you know Impa?"

"I heard about her," Sheik said. She looked over the pair of teenaged heroes in front of her. Still, she knew that both of them were still mentally the same as seven years earlier. For them, only several minutes have passed.

Link grimaced as the young Sheikah was looking straightly at him. "Do I have something in my face?" he asked.

Sheik smirked under her hood. "Sorry about this... You know, as I see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time."

"Seems like have destiny weighing on your shoulders after all," Navi sighed. "Rauru was right... only a true hero should be able to wield the Master Sword... that's what the Deku Tree told me."

Sheik nodded.

"Still, I don't know why you would help us?" Ukyo murmured. "Is it just because you believe in our abilities...? Or is it because of the Master Sword?"

"Both of it, actually," Sheik pointed out. "And these are dark times... now, that Ganondorf has control over all of Hyrule. The people could definitely use a hero or two."

"Ganondorf controls everything?" Link gasped. He and Ukyo exchanged a worried look. They had figured the situation would be bad, seven years after Ganondorf claimed the Triforce. They had to do something, quickly.

"I'll go," Link then said. "I'm gonna find the Sages, as Rauru told me. And hopefully, with their powers and the Master Sword we will be able to beat Ganondorf."

"Well, sorry to tell you this," Ukyo sighed. "But the last time we met him, we couldn't do much to stop him."

"He creamed you," Tatl said.

"Well, I wouldn't say it like this, but she's right," Ukyo shrugged.

"It doesn't matter," Link sternly said. "If what Rauru and Sheik said is true, I might just have a chance of winning."

"If you believe the legend, you have no choice," Sheik spoke up. "You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages. One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. But because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm."

"Well, we just have to go to her then, right?" Link shrugged.

"It won't be easy," Sheik pointed out. "Equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple. But, if you believe what I am saying, you should head to Kakariko Village."

"Why should we go to Kakariko, of all places?" Ukyo wondered.

"There's someone there who can help you further," Sheik explained. "Just tell the villagers I sent you..." She took a step back. "I have to go now..."

"Wait a minute," Link shouted. "Do you know where...?"

But the Sheikah warrior had already taken a Deku Nut out of her pocket and threw it down on the ground, where it exploded in a blinding flash.

While the others were blinded by the flash, Sheik made her exit.

'I'm sorry, Link,' she thought while a tear escaped her eye. 'I can't tell you who I really am... not yet.'

She nimbly slinked out of the Temple of Time and didn't stop until she was in a back alley... alone.

With a sigh, she leaned against a wall and slid down to the ground. "I really hope they didn't recognize me," she muttered to herself.

"Don't worry," another voice spoke up next to her. "If I didn't know that it's you, I wouldn't recognize you either."

Sheik was startled, but relaxed when she recognized the speaker. "Nabiki... don't scare me like this."

"Sorry 'bout that, Sheik," the other girl shrugged. "But you shouldn't worry too much, you know? Ganondorf doesn't even suspect that we are hiding here, practically on his doorstep... but let's not discuss things out here, okay?"

Sheik nodded, and the two of them walked into one of the ruined houses... the remains of what was once the capital of the kingdom.

----

On the top floor of the house, there was a small room with dirty walls and several cracks in the floor. Not much furniture was standing inside... just two beds and a small table.

A girl with long hair was standing in front of the window and looked out side. She sighed as she saw the dark clouds covering the land, and the ring of fire that was surrounding the summit of Death Mountain, which she could see in the distance.

She turned around when she heard her sister and Sheik enter the room.

Kasumi smiled. "Princess! I'm so glad! Did you meet them? Are they all right?"

Sheik closed her eyes and drew back her hood. When she reopened them, the red pupils turned into a clear blue.

The beautiful face of Princess Zelda smiled at the oldest Tendo sister. "Please, don't call me that, Kasumi. I go by the name of 'Sheik', until Ganondorf is defeated. And yes, I met them. They are fine, both of them. And... Link seemed to be intent on fulfilling his destiny as the Hero of Time."

"Still, I feel sorry for them," Kasumi sighed. "Not being able to grow up naturally, being thrown into grownup bodies they are not familiar with, and then being burdened with saving Hyrule..."

"I don't like it either, but you heard what that owl said to us," Nabiki spoke up. "We have to believe in their abilities, as only the wielder of the Master Sword can save the Sages."

"I know," Kasumi muttered. "It's just that..." She sighed and once again looked out of the window. "I hope they will be okay."

"Well, I guess as soon as they reach Kakariko, Mom and Akane will show them what to do," Nabiki said.

'Sheik' smiled. "I bet Akane will be happy to see them again..."

----

"For the last time, leave us alone, Skull-Faces!" Ranma's swift kick splintered the skull of the skeleton knight in half.

The other Stalfos didn't seem to be too impressed and raised their blades in response. One of them growled and lunged for him, but a purple blur intercepted the undead creature, leaving only a pile of bones behind.

"They no listen to you, Airen," the buxom Gerudo woman said. "They seem to have a bone to pick with you."

"Hey!" the pig-tailed young man smirked. "You stole my joke."

Shampoo smirked back, and when the remaining Stalfos attacked, they defended themselves with a double spin kick.

Ranma wiped his hands on his pants. "Well, that takes care of them."

Shampoo turned around and smiled at him, but the smile turned into a look of surprise. "Airen, you be careful!"

Ranma spun around and saw that two of the collapsed skeletons had reassembled their bodies, and now were rising from the ground again. "Damn!" he muttered. "They're that kind that only stays down if you break them apart at once..."

But before he could do anything else, a big, blue bear with wings came dropping down from the sky, burying the two Stalfos under his massive behind.

The bear lifted a wooden sign. 'What did I teach you, boy? Always watch your back!'

"Sorry, Pops! I'll keep that in mind." And with a mighty leap, Ranma bounded over his father's head to perform a jump kick, aimed at the Stalfos that had sneaked behind the winged bear's back.

It went down, just like the others.

Shampoo came over to his side and gave him a big glomp. "Aaaah, Airen is sooo strong," she gushed.

"Aw, c'mon, Shampoo..." Ranma muttered as the sexy Gerudo once again clinged to his body. "D'ya have ta do this all the time?" He then grinned and returned the hug. "You know, we're not officially a couple yet."

'Get a room, you two!' the winged bear signed and sweatdropped.

Suddenly thunderous hoof beats made them turn around in surprise.

"Enough of this!" a booming voice shouted. "All of you, surrender now and I shall spare your lives!"

"Oh, it's Ganondorf's flunky number one," Ranma grumbled as he turned around to face the person who was sitting atop the massive Helmasaur.

Hidden behind the face mask of his helmet, the heavily armored knight's eyes narrowed. "You cur! I am the king's executor! The General of Darkness!"

"Shut it, Kuno," Ranma snapped. "We know you're just one lousy coward within one big tin can."

"Silence!" the figure roared and jumped from his mount. His massive weight made the ground underneath his feet shake. "Tatewaki Kuno is no more. The honor of the Kuno name ended with the death of my foolish father... I have cast off that name, and only Onox remains!" He reached behind his back and drew the massive sword that was strapped to his armor.

"You is just insane coward and pathetic fighter," Shampoo huffed.

"Watch your mouth, traitor!" the dark general growled. "I know everything about you... you ran away from your duties as a warrior under Lord Ganondorf's command and joined with these... rebellious scoundrels. Everyone knows that they are in league with the monstrous Zora."

"If you are looking for a monster, perhaps you should look into a mirror," Ranma shot back.

Onox heard enough. With a roar, he raised his immense blade and attacked both Ranma and Shampoo with a wide sweep. Ranma barely ducked in time, while his beautiful fiancee jumped on top of Onox' blade, bouncing off it with a back somersault.

With a deep growl, the general pulled back his weapon and approached his more dangerous opponent with slow, but firm steps. Ranma tried to see his opponents eyes through the slits of his helmet, but to no avail.

"You better not turn your back to a Gerudo warrior," Shampoo shouted while swiftly drawing both of her curved blades from her belt. With a loud yell, she first crouched down and then attacked Onox' backside with a powerful spin attack.

And with a loud 'clang', the scimitars harmlessly bounced off the general's thick armor.

The man formerly known as Kuno chuckled without even turning around. "You should know best that nothing can penetrate a Darknut's armor, foolish woman!"

And without a warning, he slashed at his pig-tailed opponent in front of him.

Ranma gasped as the insanely long weapon missed him by a hair's breadth. Taken by surprise, he stumbled backwards...

...and landed in the shallow waters of Lake Hylia with a big 'splash'.

Onox grinned behind his helmet as he saw the gorgeous form of an extremely well-endowed Zora girl - no, make that woman - rise out of the waters.

"Aaaaah, so the vicious creature shows its true face," he laughed. "I always knew you Zora scum were masters of the black arts... but now you even disguise yourselves as Hylians? That's unforgivable!"

He raised his weapon again, shoving Genma aside (who was going to stop him) and charged the female Zora. Ranko grimaced and prepared herself.

'General Onox, return to the castle immediately! Lord Ganondorf demands your presence!'

Onox stopped himself upon hearing the voice in his mind, glanced down at his aquatic opponent one last time and then lowered his blade.

"This time, I'll let you live," he grumbled. "But just you wait... the next time we meet, you won't be so lucky!" And he turned around and slowly walked back to his Helmasaur.

The bulky reptile with the heavily armored forehead grunted impatiently, as its master climbed upon its backside.

Shampoo gritted her teeth. "You run away from battle? You are coward!"

She wanted to go after him, but Ranko held her back. "No, Shampoo," the Zora princess told her fiancee. "Let him leave... you know we still aren't strong enough to beat him. He is protected by his armor and Ganondorf's magic." She grimaced. "We still have to train more to reach that goal... and until we can't even beat his henchman, we can't possibly think about taking the master of evil by himself."

Shampoo grimaced and sheathed her weapons, before watching the dark general, as he turned around his mount and rode away.

With determination in her eyes, the purple-haired warrior looked after the dark general. "Gerudos are only puppets for Ganondorf and twin hags," she mumbled. "Auntie is gone for so many years now... and since Shampoo couldn't convince great-grandmother to leave Ganondorf's side... Shampoo has to fight instead!"

Genma raised another one of his signs. 'Are you certain this is a good idea, children? We are only three people, you know?'

Ranko sat down and looked over the smooth surface of Lake Hylia. "Well, we don't have much of a choice, right? If not we, who else is gonna do something against him? With Hyrule Town in ruins, the king dead and Princess Zelda gone, Ganondorf now controls most of Hyrule. Even Death Mountain seems to have fallen under his curse..."

She sighed. "At least everything's fine here... I would hate to see this lake or Zora River to turn into one of Ganondorf's wastelands."

'Don't be too sure of that, boy,' Moosh-Genma signed with a growf. 'Who knows what he is planning for this part of Hyrule?'

"Father-in-law just has to be a pessimist..." Shampoo muttered.

----

Unseen to any keen eye, a formless shape was floating through the murky depths of Lake Hylia.

Almost looking like the water that surrounded it, the creature's hide was similar to an amorphous amoeba, but as sleek as a slimy eel. Right in its middle, a pulsating blob of red, organic matter was slithering up and down the monster's body.

Summoned by the master of evil from a dimension of darkness, the beast would have smirked... if it had a face. But, at the very bottom of the lake, it now spotted what it was seeking... the entrance to an ancient building, situated deep within the waters of the lake.

And thus, the Giant Aquatic Amoeba Morpha was approaching its target... the Water Temple of Hyrule.

----

Ukyo swung the spatula over her head and slammed it down on the cracked pavement of the marketplace, knocking all of the zombies that surrounded her to their feet.

Link used that chance to raise the sacred Master Sword and rammed it down into the Redead's bodies, one after another.

He pulled the blade out of one of the no-longer-walking corpse and wiped the stained blade clean on a withered bush that was growing from beneath the sidewalk. He then looked around the ruined buildings that surrounded them and sighed.

"Just what did that madman do to Hyrule?" he asked. "All of this destruction... Do you... do you suppose all of those zombies are in fact the... the townspeople?"

"I hope not," Ukyo replied, sheathing her weapon. She still wasn't used to her grownup body, but at least she was taller and stronger than before their seven-year-break.

"I don't see anyone," Navi explained as she zipped down from above them. "I looked into every single back alley and yard, but could not even see any stray dogs... those Redeads you defeated were the only... moving creatures around here." She had wanted to say 'living creatures', but that would not have been too accurate in case of the animated corpses.

For a while, Link contemplated heading over to Hyrule Castle, to see if there would be any survivors back there, but Ganondorf would most likely be residing in there, and why should they take any risks?

"So Kakariko it is," he grumbled. "I really hope that we don't find another bad surprise waiting for us at the village."

Ukyo nodded. She also was worried about Akari, the only villager she got to know personally.

Just then, a deep groan startled them. Surprised, they turned around, expecting another Zombie that snuck up on them from behind.

But it was no Redead... it was a human figure, clothed in tattered rags, that crawled towards them. The figure raised its head, took a look at the two green-clothed warriors and whispered in a raspy voice: "Please... help me..."

----

Some time later, they were all sitting in a small shack at the edge of town. The tall man they met at the marketplace was feeling much better now, thanks to some Red Potion that Link still had with him.

Tatl smirked as she sat down on a shelf at the wall. "Lucky thing those potions stay fresh for years, eh?"

The stranger cleaned his face with a piece of cloth. "Thanks again," he muttered. "Those creepy zombies totally surprised me. Had I been in top condition, I could have wiped the floor with them, but..." He sighed. "I haven't eaten for three days by now. I was just so weak... and I had to stay hidden all the time."

"For three days?" Ukyo gasped. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" And she offered the man a piece of her own rations, which surprisingly stayed fresh for those seven years as well, along with a bottle of milk.

The stranger took the bottle and drank greedily. He then put it down with a deep breath and hungrily bit into the bread. "Wow, I almost forgot how good bread tastes. And that milk... it almost tastes as good as the milk I always drank when I worked on the ranch." He shook his head. "Actually, if I didn't knew any better, I could've sworn that it was original LonLon Milk."

"Well, it is," Ukyo said. "We got it as a present from Malon."

"Really?" the man asked. "Hard to believe... I mean, it's hard to gather enough rupees for a single bottle of milk these days. Since Ingo took over the ranch..." He sighed and looked down at the floor. "Never mind..." he muttered.

Link looked closely at his face. "Say, didn't we meet before? You look kinda familiar..."

Surprised, Navi looked up as well. "Oh yes. Aren't you that handsome stable-boy we saw the last time we came for a visit?"

The other guy laughed dryly. "If your milk is that fresh, you couldn't have possibly met me the last time you've been at the ranch. I've been a fugitive for two years now. My name's Taro, by the way."

Ukyo and Link exchanged a quick look. Of course Taro wouldn't know that their milk stayed fresh for a total of seven years.

"Wait a minute..." Taro suddenly spoke up. "Now that I think about it, you do look familiar. Those green clothes..."

He then grinned. "Of course! You're those forest kids! You've been at our ranch with your Sheikah and Goron buddies. Man, and here they say the people of the forest never grow up... How long was it, seven years? Man, to meet you here, of all places..."

"Nice to see you again," Ukyo smiled. "So how's Malon these days?"

"How's she supposed to be?" Taro grumbled darkly. "Her father had to leave the ranch, Ingo makes her work overtime and threatens to hurt the animals if she doesn't obey..."

"WHAT?" Link and Ukyo shouted at the same time. Link even jumped up in his agitation.

"How did that happen?" Link asked. "Wasn't Ingo just another helper on the ranch? I thought Malon's dad was the owner."

"He was," Taro nodded. "But after Ganondorf assumed power, everything changed. He chased away old Talon and made Ingo the new head of the farm. Some say that Ingo had promised him one of the farm's prize horses in exchange, but who knows the true background behind all of this?"

Taro made his hands into fists. "Malon would have run after her father, but... as I said, Ingo threatened to hurt the animals, so she stayed behind to work for him."

"Didn't you try anything to stop that jerk?" Ukyo wondered.

"Of course I did!" Taro snapped back. "As soon as Ganondorf showed up on the ranch, I wanted to punch his noggin. But..." He gritted his teeth. "He... he used it against me... I... I couldn't do anything..."

"Excuse me," Tatl spoke up. "But WHAT did he use against you?"

Taro muttered something unintelligible.

"What did you say?" Link asked. "Speak loudly!"

Taro stared right back at him. "I said he used my CURSE against me. Got it? My Jusenkyo Curse that turns me into... into..." He looked down at his hands. "A monster..." he whispered.

"Jusenkyo?" Link muttered. "Now where did I hear that before...?"

"Ryoga!" Ukyo suddenly shouted. "He has a Jusenkyo curse which turns him into a small Cucco."

"Well, then your friend is lucky," Taro grumbled. "I fell into the Spring of Drowned Yeti-riding-Bull-while-holding-Eel-and-Crane."

"Um..." Link scratched his head. "And what does that mean?"

"I turn into a winged Minotaur with an eel tail, okay?" Taro snapped. "But... that's not the worst thing about it... I mean... I'm pretty strong like that, and to tell the truth, I always liked my cursed form, but..."

Navi gasped when suddenly, she realized the truth. "But Ganondorf can control monsters..." she whispered.

Taro just nodded in response.

"Man, that's right," Ukyo groaned. "I mean, we all saw it, didn't we? Just think about Gohma, and the Dodongos..."

"That's right," Taro said. "And every time I now get hit with cold water... I change into a rampaging beast, without any control over my own body."

Concerned, Link, Ukyo and the fairies looked at the muscular man, his face a grimace of pain.

"That's why I'm hiding here, in the ruins of town," he muttered. "Away from the people... so no one would get hurt as soon as I lose control. Because... I can't avoid getting wet for the rest of my life."

"But is your cursed form really that strong?" Link wondered. "I mean, sure, it has wings, and a humanoid bull sounds like it has to be very powerful, but... it can't be much stronger than a Moblin, right?"

"That's what you think," Taro whispered. "But I know better. I might not remember what happens to me while I'm out of control, but... after all, we can all see the results of my very first rampage all around us.

"You mean to tell us...?" Ukyo mumbled.

Taro nodded. "Yes. Hyrule Town... the one who destroyed it... was me!"

----

"What'd you say?"

"I said you're nothing but a big jerk!"

Hiroshi winced as his 'best buddy's' fist came flying into his jaw, smacking him backwards. The ex-soldier gritted his teeth and raised his own fists. With an angry yell, he lunged forward and aimed for Daisuke's head.

But, in the nick of time, someone stood in-between the two squabblers. "All right, you two, I think that's just enough!"

Hiroshi stopped right in his tracks. He might be angry at Daisuke, but he wasn't foolish enough to start a fight with Akane.

The short-haired Sheikah girl looked back and forth between the two boys, a frown on her face. After those seven years, she grew up into a skilled warrior, but also a cute-looking young woman who had many admirers among the refugees that were now living in Kakariko Village.

"Who started this?" she snapped. "And what's the meaning of this? As if Ganondorf's creatures wouldn't trouble us enough..."

Daisuke gritted his teeth and pointed at the boy he normally called his 'best friend'. "He insulted me! He said I'd be a coward!"

"Of course you are!" Hiroshi snapped back. "What else would you call a man, who always stays hidden in a backwater village like this?"

He gestured towards the village gates. "Why don't we go out there and fight those monsters, instead of hiding like scared little children?"

"It's too dangerous!"

"Hah!" Hiroshi snarled. "You're just a big wimp!"

"You take that back!" Daisuke stepped forward, raising his fists.

"That's it, settle down, both of you!" Akane shouted. "Seriously, the way you are bickering, you'd think you two ARE a pair of immature kids. And Hiroshi, stop speaking such nonsense, okay? Do you want to take on Ganondorf's forces all by yourself? We have to stay here in the village, there's no other place to go, remember? And besides, it was my Mom's idea to hide here... do you want to imply that she's a coward as well? Or me, for that matter?"

Hiroshi meekly looked down to the ground. "No," he murmured. "No, of course not..."

Akane nodded at the two former soldiers. "Good. Now, I believe you two have something better to do, right? Go back on your posts and guard the village, instead of brawling with each other."

Hiroshi and Daisuke nodded and walked back to their posts.

With a sigh, Akane walked over to a bench and sat down. Watching over a complete village could be tiresome sometimes...

"Miss Tendo, you look beat. Would you like some milk?"

Akane looked up into the smiling face of Akari, the Cucco girl. She nodded. "Yes, I'd like that very much, thank you... But please, call me Akane!"

Akari gave Akane a glass of milk and sat down next to her.

Akane drank some milk. "Aaaah, I needed that," she sighed. "Thanks, Akari, that was refreshing." She looked down at her glass. "Although it's not as delicious as the infamous LonLon Milk..."

"I know," Akari nodded. "A shame really... with those steep prices Mr. Ingo is demanding, only very few people can afford to buy a bottle. And poor Mr. Talon..." She sadly looked over to where the ex-owner of the LonLon Ranch was lying in a warm patch of grass, snoring loudly.

Akane also looked at him. "Poor man... he had such a happy life, and all of a sudden, everything was taken away from him. And he has to worry about his daughter all the time."

"Yes," Akari said. "I wish there would be something we could do to help him..."

"Well, Ingo is under Ganondorf's protection, so there isn't much we can do without endangering the villagers," Akane sighed. "The only reason Ganondorf isn't attacking the village is because he doesn't believe the remaining people of Hyrule to be a threat. And he doesn't know that my mother is here, or else he would have sent his henchmen to capture her... or his General Onox." She shook her head. "I still can't believe Kuno turned into that... that... monster!" The Sheikah girl gritted her teeth. "If he was standing in front of me right now, I... I would pound the bastard into the ground."

"Excuse me, but can you help us?" a voice suddenly startled them.

Akane and Akari looked up at a pair of warriors, clothed in green tunics. The boy was equipped with an impressive-looking blade, while the girl was carrying some weird-looking weapon, that almost looked like a...

Akane frowned. Now why did that weapon look so familiar?

'Wait a minute...' she thought. 'Green clothes, a boy and a girl, two fairies hovering over their shoulders...'

"Ukyo?" she asked in disbelief. "Link?"

The blonde teenager blinked. "Do we know you?"

Ukyo gasped. "No way! You are... Are you... Akane?"

Akane jumped up in joy and hugged the surprised Ukyo, before turning to a bewildered Link and giving him the same treatment.

"It's really you! You're back! Oh, where have you been for all this time? Hey, did you visit the Sacred Realm? Oh, you have to tell me everything!"

"Hey, calm down there for a minute," Ukyo snickered.

"Oh, sorry..." Akane stepped back and took another look at her two friends. She still couldn't believe it. "I thought I'd never see you two again... how long has it been, seven years?"

She then looked the two of them over. "Say, you are looking good."

"Oh sure, just ignore us, we're only the annoying little fairy sidekicks..." Tatl huffed. Navi giggled when she saw her blonde friend's expression.

"Well, you are kinda tiny," Ukyo said with a smirk. "So it's pretty easy to overlook you. Hey, even I sometimes forget that you are there."

"Can't be," Link gasped mockingly. "The way she always prattles, how could you possibly overlook her?"

Ukyo shrugged with a grin. "Well, I guess I'm so used to her whiny little voice that her constant nagging turned into background noise for me."

"You're mean!" Tatl whined and pouted.

The others all laughed.

"Oh, you remember Akari, right, Ukyo?" Akane then asked.

"Of course," Ukyo replied. "Nice to see you again, Akari! How'd you do?"

"I can't complain," the Cucco Girl smiled. "Always busy with my little chickens, but I love being around them."

She picked up a clucking Cucco that had been looking up at them from the ground and cuddled it. "My little darling sometimes give me trouble, but I can't stay mad at them for very long... I sooo adore them."

She buried her nose in the soft feathers of her little pet... and the chicken stared at her with a terrified expression. Then it seemed to sigh. 'Here we go again...'

"AAAAH-CHOOOOOOOOOO!"

Clucking wildly, the Cucco flew through the air, propelled backwards by Akari's explosive sneeze.

Link stared at Akari. "Gesundheit!" he finally said.

Akari sniffed. "Thanks..."

Ukyo sweatdropped. "Looks like she's still allergic to Cuccos, huh?"

Akane nodded with a sigh.


	9. A Truce between Rivals

'Huff... huff... huff...'

Running as quickly as his short legs were able to carry him, the small Deku ran through the dark forest, always looking behind him.

'Huff... huff... huff...'

Stepping under a tall tree, the Deku Ninja quickly looked around for any evidence of his spooky pursuer.

Suddenly, he felt something, reacted out of instinct and leapt out of the way, when a black lightning bolt hit the place where he just stood seconds ago. He bounded off the various trees of the forest, all the while dodging more of the black lightning.

For a while, he was able to hide inside the treetop of an ancient oak.

'Whatever shall I do?' Konatsu thought to himself. 'Who is this person? She's not only able to track down a Deku Ninja, but also to follow every single of my movements. What does she want in our woods?'

He carefully looked out of the leaves. Seeing no trace of his chaser, he started leaping from treetop to treetop.

'I have to find Miss Saria,' he thought to himself. 'I left her alone when that person attacked. I have to find her... it's my duty to protect her. I promised it to Ukyo... and Link.'

Ever since the two biggest friends of Saria, Tael and himself had vanished, along with the purple fairy's sister and Navi, they had never lost their faith that one day, they would return. Even as Tael once stated his worries about his sister's possible return, Konatsu assured him that Ukyo and Link would never break a promise, and so wouldn't Tatl.

But never did he wish more that his friends would return than on this day.

Very much isolated from the rest of Hyrule, the members of the 'forest community', consisting of the Kokiri, the Dekus and the fairies, they didn't notice at once that Ganondorf had more or less conquered all of the rest of the land. Only when a cold wind came blowing through the forest, from the Forest Temple, and many more monsters appeared in the woods as usually, the Kokiri figured that something was not right.

When he saw a big mob of Moblins and Stalfos enter the woods, accompanied by insane Dekus, Konatsu made sure to inform his friends first, who were again sitting on the Sacred Meadow, near the Forest Temple. Together, they wanted to go and warn the other Kokiri about the danger.

But it was too late.

Only a few minutes after Konatsu arrived at their meeting place on the meadow, a chilling laughter echoed through the calm forest that sent shivers down their spines.

And then, SHE appeared... and proclaimed that she was here to 'claim the Forest Sage'.

Neither of them understood what she meant by that... but then she started attacking Saria. In the last instant, Konatsu threw himself between Saria and the dark-robed sorceress, to take the full force of the attack.

Luckily, it stunned him only for an instant, and he was able to distract the pale-skinned woman from his friends for a while. After she had to fend off the furious assault of a skilled Deku Ninja, she realized that her prey and the others had vanished.

In her anger, she had turned to Konatsu and said in a cold voice: "Well, then I'll hunt you down first!"

And afterwards, Konatsu had to run for his life.

Now he had to find his friends, before that spooky-looking woman found them. He didn't want to think about what she would do to Saria...

Suddenly, he remembered something with a shock: He still had to warn the other Kokiri from the monsters. Maybe Saria and Sprite already did it, but he could not take any chances.

He was so shaken by his worries that he only noticed the streak of black lightning when it was too late.

He screamed in pain as the black magic jolted through his veins. While Dekus weren't as vulnerable to electricity as Zoras, it still hurt them - especially when merged with black magic like this.

Groaning, he collapsed on the ground, while the branches above him parted and made way for the black-robed figure of the witch that had pursued him.

The Sorceress of Shadows smirked down at her helpless prey. "Well now... this hunt has been amusing, little Deku, but I really have more important business to attend to than playing around with small woodland creatures. Now where is your green-haired friend?"

Konatsu panted hardly as he tried to get back up. "I... I won't tell you..."

The sorceress threw back her head and laughed.

"Ooohohohohohoh... you're a tough little guy, I have to admit."

She smirked and spread her fingers, sending another burst of black lightning forth from her fingertips, which sent Konatsu into another fit of screaming. "But you will tell me... in time. For no one is able to resist Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows!"

Konatsu winced in pain, before the torture became to much and he fell back in merciful unconsciousness...

And when the Deku Ninja closed his eyes, Veran (formerly known as Princess Kodachi), Sorceress of Shadows and loyal servant to Ganondorf, let her insane laughter echo through the forest once again...

----

Akane blinked as her friends sat down at the small table within the biggest house of Kakariko.

"You want to tell me that you had to skip seven years because none of you was able to wield the legendary sword?"

"See?" Tatl groaned. "I told you so, she won't believe it. We should've kept it a secret..."

Akane shook her head. "No, no, I believe you, but... I mean, that's not something that happens every day, you know? I've already wondered why we didn't hear anything from you, but this..." She was speechless for an instant. "No, I would have never figured it was because of something like this."

Ukyo shrugged. "Well, we didn't choose it ourselves, you know? I mean, imagine: We entered the Temple of Time, took that sword, had a small chat with an elderly gentleman... and when we get out of the temple again, we have to see that not only seven years have passed, but the town that we saw only shortly before has turned into a ruin, and everyone is living in fear because of Ganondorf's minions."

"I think I see your problem," Akane said. "And come to think of it, we have all been little kids when this happened, right?"

Ukyo frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't mean it like that," Akane quickly retorted. "I mean, it must be very strange for you. I mean... if all of this only happened one day ago for you... it must have been quite the shock, having a, well... more mature body now."

"Yeah," Link nodded. "It is kinda strange. I mean, everything is so much smaller now, and you and Ukyo are looking so... weird."

The Sheikah girl was taken aback. "Um... what's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, look at you: Your butts are all bigger, and then you have those strange... THINGS hanging from your chest..."

Ukyo nodded as she adjusted her breast bindings. "Yeah, those things are killing me, I tell you..."

Akane blushed heavily. "Um, g-guys... I think there's something called 'modesty' you still have to learn about..."

Link and Ukyo looked at each other and blinked in confusion.

Deciding to change the subject, Navi cleared her throat. "Um, say, Akane... where's your mother, by the way? And Princess Zelda? You went after them the last time we saw you, correct?"

Akane suddenly looked very fidgety. "Uh, y-yeah, that's right... Well, Mom is living here with me, but she's not here right now... she's taking care of some problems. Nabiki and Kasumi are visiting some friends, so they're not here either."

"And the princess?" Link asked.

Tatl looked closely at Akane's face. The young Sheikah warrior was uncomfortable for some reason, she could see it.

"I... I can't really say... I didn't see her for years. She, um... She parted with us and went a separate way... who knows where she is right now?"

"You just let her go like that?" Ukyo asked in bewilderment. "Aren't you the protectors of the royal family?"

"W-well, Mom wasn't too happy with the idea either, but the princess insisted... she didn't want us to carry the burden anymore. And when we objected, she... she ordered us to leave... to start a new life, here at Kakariko."

Akane sighed. "In the end, Mom decided to grant Princess Zelda's request... and we helped the fugitives of Hyrule Town to safely reach the village of Kakariko. Everyone helped to finish the buildings that still had been under construction, and some of the surviving royal soldiers agreed to protect the village from monsters and Ganondorf's henchmen."

"A sad story," Navi sighed. "I surely hope the princess is all right..."

In that moment, the door opened and a tall woman with white hair entered.

"Akane, I'm home... Oh, we have guests?"

Akane smiled up at her mother's face. "Mom, you won't believe who came to pay us a visit. Do you remember Ukyo and Link?"

"...and the fairies!" Tatl added grimly.

At first, Impa seemed confused, then she stared at the two young adults sitting in front of her in disbelief, until finally, a broad grin appeared on her face.

"Well I'll be damned! Just where have you kids been all those years?"

Ukyo grinned back. "Good to see you too, Impa! And it's a looong story..."

----

Some time later, they were all sitting around the table, having dinner together.

Impa had listened to Ukyo's and Link's tale in awe, but she surely didn't show her surprise that much.

"So, how have you been, Impa?" Ukyo finally asked the older woman.

Impa sighed. "Oh, I am very busy with taking care of the village... And recently, there has been an alarming number of reports regarding some strange happenings at the cemetery."

"What events?" Link asked.

Impa snorted. "People say they have seen a GHOST coming out from one of the graves. I mean, the graveyard has always been a meeting place for Poes and similar creatures, but some of the villagers say that this ghost only haunts young women... and they also say that he seemingly likes to spy upon them when they change their underwear." The Sheikah laughed. "I mean, who has ever heard of a perverted Poe?"

Ukyo and Tatl exchanged a quick look. Now why did that tale sound to familiar to them?

----

The night was dark and gloomy.

The moon was shining high above the silent graveyard.

Spooky wafts of mist were floating over the ground, while two young heroes were waiting behind a big gravestone.

"I'm still saying this is a stupid idea," Ukyo whispered.

"Come on!" Link said quietly. "If there really is a ghost, we have to help the villagers. And besides, don't you think this is exciting?"

"Staying up late in the night to search for ghosts on a spooky graveyard does NOT fall under my ideas of excitement, thank you very much!" Ukyo grumbled. "I should've done the same as Navi and Tatl and stayed back in bed. That's one of the silliest things you ever convinced me to do."

"Be quiet now," Link whispered. "I think I hear something..."

And when the two ducked behind the gravestone, Ukyo could hear it as well: A hushed, but demented, cackling laughter that came from one of the gravestones.

A chill went down her spine when she saw a ghostly, translucent figure rising up from the grave, a wrinkled-up being that was carrying a lantern...

She then blinked. Wait a minute... Wasn't that...?

"I know that ghost!" she shouted and jumped out of their hiding place.

"Stop, Ukyo!" Link hissed. "Whatever happened to 'using the moment of surprise'?"

But his spatula-wielding friend didn't listen. She stormed up to the floating figure, who hadn't noticed her until now.

"Heheheheheh..." the ghost snickered. "I'm coming, my pretty darlings in silk..."

"You just can't stop doing this, can you?" a grim voice spoke up behind him. "Even in death, you're still the biggest pervert I've ever seen!"

The ghost of Happosai turned around in mid-air... and his eyes bugged out when he saw the cute girl standing in front of him. "Whoa, baby!" he shouted in glee. "Come to Poppa!"

"Not a chance, you freak!" Ukyo grumbled and stepped back, so the old ghost's lunge ended down on the floor.

Happosai muttered to himself while pulling his head out of the ground. "Still gotta learn how to use those phasing techniques..." he uttered. "So... what's a sweet girl like you doing out here, in a rotten place like this?"

"I came here for you!"

"REALLY?? Oh, happi day..."

"I DON'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!" Ukyo screeched.

Confused, Link came closer. Happosai seemed disappointed. "Aw, don't tell me you already have a boyfriend..."

"You know that old gnome?" Link wondered. "You never told me you had friends that are already dead..."

"He is NOT my friend," Ukyo snapped angrily. "And back when I met him, he was still alive."

"Heeyyyy!" Happosai suddenly snapped his pale fingers. "Aren't you the girl I met in that Dodongo-infested cavern all those years ago? I must say, you really turned into a beauty..."

Ukyo couldn't help but blush, but somehow, that compliment didn't quite feel right, coming from a perverted ghost.

Said ghost floated close to her body. "But I must say, your chest isn't really that impressive... you would think that after those years, you would have grown an impressive rack, like lovely Impa..."

Ukyo's brow twitched. "EXCUSE ME??"

"Well, she does wear breast bindings," Link pointed out.

"Really?" Happosai asked in disbelief. "Now that's a shame..."

"Enough about my breasts already!" Ukyo shouted in irritation.

Happosai floated back in surprise. "My, she has a short temper, hasn't she? Must be 'that time of the month'."

Neither Ukyo nor Link understood that last remark, so Ukyo just shook her head and said: "Never mind! Listen, we just came here to tell you that Impa is not pleased with how you are spying on the young girls of the village. I insist you stop your perverted ways of peeping and stay back in your grave."

"You want to take away an old man's last joy?" Happosai sniffled. "You're so cruel..."

"We can always beat him up and put him into a bottle," Link grinned. "Worked well with the Poes we met earlier."

Happosai suddenly paled (as much as a ghost can do so) and gulped. "Um, maybe we can talk things out..."

"Oh?" Ukyo asked. "Then how about this? You stay away from the village girls, and we refrain from turning you into mixed pickles."

"Can't we make a compromise?" Happosai pleaded. "Like, I'll peep only once a week?"

"Okay, understood!" Link shrugged. "We can always use some bottled ghosts where we are going..." And he pulled out one of their empty bottles.

"WAIT! Wait! Okay, I got it! No more peeping! I swear it!"

"And you better keep your word!" Ukyo said sternly. "We'll tell Impa and her daughter where they can find your grave. Believe me, they can use the bottle as well as we can."

"Oh, cruel world..." the wrinkled ghost sobbed. "Um, by the way... where are you going?"

"To the Forest Temple, to save a sage," Link explained.

"He doesn't need to know that," Ukyo groaned. "Do you have to blab out everything?"

Link grinned sheepishly. "Sorry?"

Happosai scratched his chin thoughtfully. "The Forest Temple, a sage, I see, I see... how very interesting! But, you know, entering that temple isn't going to be easy. The stairs leading up there have been destroyed a long time ago."

"You've been at the Forest Temple before?" Ukyo asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah, when I was a young guy, I once got lost in the Lost Woods... I wasn't quite the fighter I'm now... Or rather, I've been when I was still alive. Some Wolfos chased me to that hidden meadow, and that's where I saw the Forest Temple. It looked a bit spooky, so I didn't enter. But I always remembered that day later on. I decided that I would pay it a visit one day, so I built a little device that should help me reach the entrance. But I somehow never got down to do it... paying the temple another visit, I mean."

"And what happened to that 'device' you constructed?" Ukyo asked. "What is it anyway?"

Happosai smirked. "I kept it hidden until my days were over. I asked an old friend of mine to bury me with the few things I possessed... my precious collection, and also my little invention."

"May we have it?" Link asked. "We might need it to enter the Forest Temple..."

"Well, I don't know..."

Ukyo frowned. "Link, the bottle..."

"GAH! No, no, not the bottle! Okay, okay, you can have it! Sheesh..."

Ukyo smirked. "Thank you!"

She stepped in front of Happosai's grave, but hesitated when she touched the cold stone.

"Isn't this like grave robbery?" she whispered.

Link shook his head. "No, it's no robbery! Happosai allowed us to take something from there, right?"

That sounded right in Ukyo's ears, and together, they pushed back the heavy gravestone.

Ukyo's frown deepened when she pulled out an old, rotten piece of cloth... an ancient sack that contained the remains of various undergarments.

"I knew it..." she grumbled. "Even in death, he's an old pervert." She threw the sack aside ("Careful! My precious collection!") and pulled out a small chest from the grave.

She opened it, and Link took out a strange contraption. Attached to a handle was a metal chain, and on the other end of that chain, a spiky hook was attached. There also was a small button on the handle.

Happosai smiled proudly. "This is what I call the 'Hookshot'. Press the button and the chain will expand. Shoot it at any wooden surface and the hook will attach itself, allowing you to pull yourself to that point."

Link carefully took the hookshot in his right hand, looked around and aimed at a nearby tree, then he pressed the button.

KA-CHINK!

The hookshot came shooting out of the handle, expanding the chain to its full length, until the hook planted itself firmly into the solid wood of the tree.

"This thing is pretty long..." Link realized.

"Yeah," Ukyo said with a smirk as she looked down at the ghost. "Think he has to compensate for something?"

"M-mind your mouth now, girl!" Happosai said in an indignant voice. "Well, I hope you're satisfied with my little tool... Good luck with your search, and please, promise me one thing..."

"What?" Ukyo asked. "To bring you some fresh underwear for your collection?"

"Sounds tempting, but no! What I meant was: Please return to me after you've been in the Forest Temple, and tell me about it! I always wanted to see it ever since that fateful day in my youth, but never was able to. Please, do an old man that last favor, okay?"

Link shrugged. "Well, I guess we can do that..."

Happosai smiled. "Thanks a bunch, kiddos! I guess the old Happosai might just find his eternal rest that way. And hey, tell that Goron friend of yours I said hi, will ya? I'm still impressed with how he handled that Dodongo King."

"Sorry, I haven't seen him for some time," Ukyo said. "I really wonder what's he doing those days..."

----

Meanwhile, in Goron City...

Clinging closely to the teenaged Goron's chest, the little Goron girl sobbed heavily.

"Oniichan, when will Daddy return?"

Ryoga softly stroked the young girl's red hair. "Very soon, Yoiko! Very soon..."

----

With heavy footsteps, his metal armor resulting in metal clanging sounds, dark General stepped into his master's chamber. He knelt down on the ground and lowered his head, waiting.

His lord didn't turn around instantly, but that was fine with the black general. He could wait. He was living to serve his master.

Ganondorf continued to play his favorite tune on his giant organ, a melody that would have seemed 'creepy' to normal Hylian people. But somehow, this sound was soothing the King of Evil's dark soul.

Finally, he stepped away from his organ and turned around. "Rise, General Onox!" he commanded.

Tatewaki Kuno shivered with glee, as he did every time his lord was calling him by his new name. For him, it was a name of power, a sign that he was so much more than he had been in what he called his 'previous life'.

Onox stood up in front of his lord and saluted him with his metal fist. "My lord, you have summoned me?"

"Indeed I have, Onox!" Ganondorf nodded. "I have a task for you."

Onox could have told his master that he just was about to finish off the rebels he had been chasing for such a long time now, but he kept his mouth shut. Surely, his master would know about that. There had to be a special reason, a more concerning matter why he had to leave the dirty rebels alone and come back to the castle.

"The situation on Death Mountain hasn't changed a bit," Ganondorf spoke up. "Their pesky leader is still at large, and I also believe there might still be a few Gorons hiding inside their city."

"Only maggots that try to resist you, my lord!" Onox proclaimed. "They can't be a big threat."

"Normally not, but I don't want to start with the execution before I have every single Goron within my grasp... especially their leader! Besides, my Flare Dancers informed me about a strong Goron warrior that was fighting alongside Darunia. His strength and fighting abilities were extraordinary. Generic footmen or monsters won't be enough to take this one down. I would have asked Volvagia to take him down, but I don't want to risk anything... Volvagia has to stay 'alive' until the execution is over."

"I understand, my lord!" Onox replied.

Ganondorf nodded. "I thought you would. We cannot let a young upstart like him get away with this. I have to know that the situation is under control. The rest of Hyrule will only tremble under this example when EVERY SINGLE Goron is executed. Be careful when dealing with that enemy, though... You are one of my strongest men, and I know you can destroy that little upstart... but you know what they say: Pride goes before a fall!"

Onox raised his fist. "I won't fail you, master!"

The King of Evil nodded, before turning around and stepping up to his organ again.

Onox realized the conversation was over and walked out of the room, backwards, while bowing.

Back at his beloved organ, Ganondorf raised his fingers once again.

"Are you sure he will stay within your service?" a raspy voice asked. "I mean, it's not like he has been brainwashed like Princess Kodachi, or my dear 'relative'."

Frowning, Ganondorf looked to the side of the room, where Elder Cologne of the Gerudo was sitting. She was the only one who would have dared questioning him like this, and also the only one who will ever get away with it.

After all, while the twin witches, the other two elders, were fanatically devoted to their dark lord, up to the point where they practically raised him all by their own, Cologne was the most cunning of the Gerudo, even more so than Ganondorf himself. While she was mainly thinking of the tribe first, her good advice has helped her lord various times by now.

"In a way, I have brainwashed him. Some battles are not fought by sword or magic, Elder Cologne, but by mental warfare."

Cologne smirked. "I'm just asking. After all those years, we do not want to take any risks, do we?"

"Indeed," Ganondorf nodded. "Still, my plans would be complete if we would finally find that irritating Princess Zelda..."

"Truly, the thought that she has still managed to escape your clutches up to now is the only reason that gives those foolish Hyrulean people the strength to resist."

Ganondorf watched his eldest advisor from the corner of his eyes. "But one of those who resist us is your great-granddaughter. I wonder... can you bear living with such a pain?"

Cologne didn't show any response, but she inwardly winced. "She is nothing but a meddling girl. I should have never wasted to much of my time to teach her our ways."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "And she would have made such a good general for our Gerudo troops..."

"Fret not, elder!" the Evil King said. "For when the time has come and the rebels are captured, we will turn her back to our side. We can't let get such talent go to waste, can we?"

"Yes..." Cologne mumbled. "We can't..."

But she wondered if she would ever be able to hand Shampoo over to those maniacal Twinrova witches and their four Poe servants... traitor or not...

----

In the chamber of the Goron tribe leader, a little Goron girl with red pigtails was counting the meat sirloin inside of her father's old drawer. She let out a small sigh.

The massive stone door opened, and a muscular Goron wearing a yellow, spotted bandana stepped in.

"We are safe for now, Yoiko," Ryoga said while closing the heavy door again. "I think I managed to drive off those Red Bubbles for now. Hopefully they won't come back very soon..."

"Thanks for protecting me like this, oniichan," Yoiko smiled.

Ryoga smiled back. The chief's daughter wasn't really his sister, but he couldn't help but have brotherly feelings for her.

"I would never let anything happen to you," he said as he crouched down next to her. "Besides, I promised your father to look out for you."

Yoiko nodded and looked down at the few rock sirloin pieces they still had. "Ryoga... when will Daddy come back? It has been such a long time, and we don't have much food anymore..."

Ryoga sighed. "I know, Yoiko, but... we both promised him to stay here and wait for him, you know? And he promised he would be back. You know he will keep his promise, right?"

Yoiko nodded weakly, and suddenly Ryoga wasn't too sure anymore if Darunia would be able to handle the situation by himself.

'Damn...' he mentally cursed. 'If it weren't for Yoiko's safety, I would go down there and help him, promise or not. But... I can't let her here, all by herself...'

Suddenly, a noise made him look up in alarm.

"What? What's that?"

Yoiko shivered. "There's someone out there..." she muttered.

Ryoga slowly stood up. He made a gesture to Yoiko to stay where she was and carefully walked over to the heavy stone door.

What was that? Footsteps? Voices? And that sound... did someone draw his blade?

He grumbled, which sounded like small pebbles raining down from a cavern ceiling. "Yoiko, stay back!" he whispered. "Seems like they found us..."

Yoiko whimpered in fear, while Ryoga went into his battle stance. He could already hear them at the door...

And then, the massive stone slab was pushed aside by powerful hands...

...and a grinning face appeared in the doorway. "Yo, Ryoga! What's up, man?"

Yoiko just looked at the scene in confusion, while Ryoga angrily gritted his teeth.

"RRRRAAAAAAANMAAAAAA..."

Ranma blinked. "What?"

"Damn you, Ranma!" Ryoga snarled. "You nearly gave us a heart attack!"

Ranma smirked sheepishly. "Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. It's just that we couldn't find anyone, so we thought..."

"Of course you didn't find anyone!" the Goron grumbled. "So what are you doing here anyway? Don't tell me you got lost on your way."

"Nah, that's your shtick. We were just wondering if there's anyone here who's willing to join our cause... Ya know, beating up Ganondorf's flunkies, making him some trouble, that sort of stuff. Oh, you already know my fiancee, Shampoo, right?" He stepped aside to make way for the purple-haired Gerudo, who waved with a smile.

'Don't forget about me, boy!' Genma-Moosh signed with a frown.

"Take a look around, Ranma!" Ryoga snarled. "No one's here anymore! Or did you miss that?"

"Yeah, the caves seemed kinda empty..." Ranma nodded. "Where are they all, anyway? At some party?"

"Rrrrraaaaanmaaaaa! That's it!! PREPARE TO DIE!"

Shampoo jumped back in surprise, when suddenly, the bandana-clad Goron rolled at her Airen, and knocked him backwards into the cavern wall.

She just wanted to come to his help, when Genma held her back. 'Let them let off some steam, girl,' he signed. 'Afterwards, they will feel better.'

Shampoo nodded uncertainly, while she watched how her fiance and that Goron boy were exchanging blows and kicks.

"Chicken-boy!"

"Enemy of all women!"

Shampoo shrugged, then knelt down in front of the small girl that was crouching in front of her. "Hello, I is Shampoo. Who you?"

"Um... my name's Yoiko. Uh, you're not gonna hurt me, are you?"

Shampoo giggled. "Shampoo is not with Ganondorf, you not worry."

"But... but you ARE a Gerudo, are you?"

"True, but not all Gerudo evil. Most of them just decide to follow king. They think is more easy like this, see? They no can think of other way for tribe to live. But Shampoo no think so." She put her hand down on the scimitar that was hanging from her belt. "Shampoo fight Ganondorf. Together with Airen."

"Um, your friend isn't going to hurt Ryoga, is he?" Yoiko asked.

Shampoo turned around to where the two males were still brawling and smirked. "They do this all the time. Ryoga is going to be all right. They just men, yes?"

"That's true!" Yoiko admitted, and they shared a laugh.

Meanwhile, Ranma and Ryoga were standing in front of each other, panting hardly.

"You..." Ryoga growled. "You always want to make my life a living hell, do you?"

"Man, what are you babbling about? I'm just here to get some help against Ganondorf, and suddenly you are all over me. What gives?"

"WHAT GIVES? I'll tell you what gives: Ganondorf has imprisoned almost every single Goron of my tribe, locked them up in the Fire Temple and plans to sacrifice them to an undead creature, that's what gives!"

"Whoa, man, chill down! I didn't know, okay?"

"You don't know anything!" Ryoga grumbled. "You don't care at all! Just like when you let me stand there alone, waiting for an eternity for you to come to our battle..."

"Ryoga, I already told you, I was there. It was you who didn't come."

"I did come!" Ryoga yelled. "But you weren't there!"

"Hey, sorry, but what was I supposed to do? Wait a week until you arrive? My Pops still had to take me to those training grounds..."

"Yes, and THAT'S when you really made my life hell. Thanks to you, I fell into that cursed spring and now turn into a Cuc..."

"D-d-don't say the word!" Ranma yelped. "Okay, I get it already. But Ryoga, I'm sorry for all what happened to you. Listen... is there anything we can do to help your people?"

Ryoga calmed down a bit and stared into his rival's eyes. "You would really do that?"

"Sure thing, man!" Ranma grinned and gave the strong Goron the thumbs up. "You can count on us. So, how did that happen?"

"It was that evil man, Ganondorf," Yoiko whimpered.

"Ganondorf?" Shampoo frowned. "He is here?"

"No, not anymore... but he gave my Daddy an ultimatum: He told him to surrender to his troops, or else he would set an example."

'I suppose your Daddy is the leader of this tribe, correct?' the blue, winged bear asked.

"Yes, Darunia..." Ryoga mumbled. "And of course, he didn't accept. So Ganondorf kept his word... he came back, with all his troops, and attacked our city. We would have been able to fight them back if it weren't for..." He shuddered. "That undead monstrosity."

"What monster?" Shampoo asked.

"A dragon," Ryoga whispered. "An undead dragon from hell, with a flaming mane and eyes made of ember. Its mere sight was filling my people's hearts with terror, and so Ganondorf was able to overpower them. His soldiers then imprisoned them in the Fire Temple, which is situated deep within the crater of Death Mountain. And now... he wants to feed them to that dragon. To Volvagia..."

Yoiko sobbed into Shampoo's arm. Shampoo looked down at the little girl in worry.

Ranma saw how distraught Yoiko was and walked over to Ryoga. "Say..." he whispered. "Is Yoiko's Dad among those who, um..."

"Who are going to be sacrificed?" Ryoga asked. "Fortunately not! But he wanted to go and save them. I wanted to come along with him, but he asked me to stay behind and keep an eye on his daughter. I could not disobey my leader and sensei... so I did as I was told. Besides... I could never leave Yoiko by herself. She... she's like a little sister to me, Ranma!" He looked up at his rival with a teary, but angry grimace. "But that's something you'd probably never understand!"

"Trust me, Ryoga, I would!" 'Yes,' he thought. 'I would never bear the thought of losing Ruto...'

"Now, how long was it since Darunia left you two behind?"

"Nearly two hours ago..." Ryoga grumbled. "He told us to be patient, but it couldn't have taken him so long to save everyone. I know he is a strong warrior, but... I fear something might have happened to him."

"You no worry!" Shampoo said with determination. "Shampoo and Airen help you save your people, and your leader. Gerudo's honor!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," a calm voice exclaimed from the cave's entrance. "Because I will have to bring your heads to my master, see?"

Ranma and Ryoga turned around in surprise, while Shampoo brandished her weapons.

"Onox..."

The General of Darkness grinned behind his helmet. "Well, small world Hyrule, right? You don't know how happy I am to meet all of you here."

He took his massive sword from his back. "This time... there will be no mercy!"

----

"So, you're leaving?" the sad Sheikah girl asked her friends.

Ukyo nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, but we promised we'd help someone. And I believe we already found the tool we need to go where we have to. So, say hi to your sisters from us, okay?"

"I will," Akane nodded. "I just... wished you would stay for a little longer."

"They have to follow their own path," Impa said, putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "And if you're lucky, this path will lead them back to Kakariko some time... maybe sooner than you believe."

"Yes..." Akane sighed. She looked up at the two shimmering fairies. "And you two watch their backs, okay?"

"Of course," Navi smiled.

Tatl grinned. "They would be lost without our good advice anyways."

"All right then," Link said as he turned to leave. "We're off!"

"Always believe in your abilities, and you will do fine," Impa shouted after them. "Good luck on your ways!"

"Please come back as soon as you can!" Akane shouted. "You're always welcome here!"

"Bye! And don't forget to tell us when you find a trace of the princess," Ukyo yelled.

And then, they were gone.

Akane wiped her nose. "I could have gone with them, you know?"

Impa sighed. "And you know pretty well that I need your help here. Who's gonna watch the villagers when I'm away? You wanna leave that to Hiroshi and Daisuke?"

Akane laughed. "No, definitely not! But... say, Mom... don't you think we should have told them about the prin..."

"I believe they will find out by themselves, given time," the older Sheikah woman said. "And she will tell them if she wants them to know. Have patience, Akane! I have the feeling that everything will turn out fine, now that they're back."

"You could be right," Akane smiled and looked at the village exit, where her two best friends had just vanished.


	10. A Minotaur's Fury

"I really wanna go back home, to the forest," Link said longingly, as he looked southeast, to the green trees of the woods.

"We will in time," Ukyo sighed. "To tell you the truth, I am worried about Saria and the others... who knows whatever happened to them during our absence. I don't really know why Ganondorf would be interested in in our village, but you never know."

"Let's just hope he doesn't know about the sages," Navi said in a worried tone of voice.

"Nevertheless, we will go back, as soon as we helped Malon. We promised Taro we would do something."

Tatl smirked. "I guess this won't take much time. Ingo is a wimp. One tiny smack with your spatula, and he'll beg for mercy."

"I dunno..." Ukyo mumbled. "I have the feeling it won't be that easy..."

They walked through the big gates of the ranch. Upon entering, they noticed the big sign which had previously read 'LonLon Ranch'.

Now it read 'Ingo Ranch'.

Link frowned. "How can he do that to Malon and her father? The ranch was everything to them..."

"Well, we'll ask him," Ukyo said.

When they walked past the farmhouse, they suddenly heard a loud crash coming from the inside of the barn, followed by a startled cry of a girl.

Link and Ukyo nodded at each other. "Quick!"

They entered the barn... and saw Ingo sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. He was dressed in expensive clothes, but now they were dirty and covered with straw.

In front of him, they saw... Taro. The muscular man towered over the dazed Ingo and shook his fists in fury. Behind him, a cute-looking girl with red hair was standing.

'Wow, Malon really got pretty in those seven years...' Link thought to himself and blushed.

"I told you, don't lay your hands on Malon again, or you'll be sorry!" Taro snarled.

"Taro, don't!" Malon shouted with desperation.

Ingo slowly stood up, wiping his hands on his pants. "You know, she is right, bozo. That was a foolish move. You know that I am under protection of the great Ganondorf, right?"

"I don't care!" Taro snapped. "This time you went too far. Stay away from her, or Din help me I'll..."

"You'll do what?" Ingo asked and put his hands down to a bottle that was hanging from his belt. It was filled with... water.

Cold water.

"You know you are under my control when you change," Ingo hissed. "And what hinders me from just throwing it at you? You wanna show sweet Malon your true face?"

"IT ISN'T MY TRUE FACE!" Taro thundered. He stepped up to Ingo and almost punched him, but he stopped himself in time as he saw Ingos hands wandering to the bottle.

He lowered his arms and sighed. "You... you bastard..."

Ingo grinned. "As long as the great Ganondorf is on my side, this ranch belongs to me!"

"Hey, I believe that's enough!" Ukyo then shouted with a loud voice, startling the three people in the barn.

"I-it's you guys!" Taro shouted in surprise.

Link pulled out his new hookshot and carefully aimed it at the bottle. He pressed the button, and the long chain shot out of the handle.

Ukyo wasn't the only one that expected the bottle to be broken in pieces, but surprisingly, the hook hit the soft cork that kept the bottle closed. And when the chain retracted again, the bottle got pulled out of Ingo's grasp.

"What do you think you're doing?" the former farm worker yelled. "Give that back!"

"I don't think so," Link said, pulled out the cork and poured the water on the floor of the barn.

Ingo looked around the barn, but the nearest water was inside the cow's water bucket. Which was standing behind the tall form of Taro.

"You better not lay a hand on me," Ingo grumbled. "The great Ganondorf will hear about this and..."

"Ah, shut your trap!" Ukyo growled. She walked over to Taro and Malon. "Hey, are you two all right?"

"Y-yeah..." the redhead answered, still a little shaken. "Um, who... who are you?"

"What you don't remember us?" Tatl asked as she flew in front of Ukyo. "C'mon... green clothes, two cute lil' fairies... How many people like that did you met in your life?"

Malon frowned and pondered over it. Then her face brightened. "You... you're the fairy-girl from the forest, aren't you?"

"I told you once, don't call me that!" Ukyo snapped in irritation.

The farm girl giggled. "Yup, it's you, alright! Thanks for the help, by the way. Still... I think it would be better if you let Mr. Ingo go."

"Why?" Taro wondered. "That creep caused nothing but trouble. And he was stalking you day and night, remember? He made you work like a slave, while he didn't move a finger."

"Yes, but... I don't want you to get into trouble because of me. If... if Ganondorf hears about this..." She sobbed. "I don't want you to be killed."

"Hey, no worries about that," Ukyo tried cheering her up. "We can take care of ourselves, right, Link?"

"Sure," the blonde body nodded. "If Ganondorf wants some, he can come and get some!"

Malon smiled. "You two are sweet. But still, if you anger him, he will probably never lift the curse he put upon Taro."

"No one can lift a Jusenkyo curse," Ukyo insisted. "That much I learned from Ryoga."

Taro shook his head. "That's not what she meant... She meant the spell that put my monster form under Ganondorf's control. When I get splashed with cold water again... he will make me go on a rampage again." He looked down at Malon. "I don't want to hurt anyone anymore..."

He then looked over at Ingo with a grimace. "Except maybe him."

"Are you all finished with your small talk?" Ingo grumbled. "Because I want you to leave my ranch. Now!"

"Say, sugar..." Ukyo suddenly smirked. "You sure there isn't a way how we could settle things?"

"Ukyo, what are you doing?" Tatl hissed into her ear. "We're here to save the farm, not to encourage that creep!"

"I know," Ukyo whispered back. "But we need to get Malon out of danger first."

Ingo thought about it. "Well, there's always the possibility of a small gamble... If you win, I'll let Malon go and try to find someone else to work on my farm. If you lose... well, I don't know..."

Link pulled out his wallet. "I'll give you 100 rupees if you win."

Ingo's eyes glinted with greed when he saw the sparkling rupees. "Deal!" he said.

----

Some time later, they were all standing next to the circular racing track that was going around the horse pasture. Both Ingo and Link were sitting on two brown horses. The mane of Ingo's stallion was black, while Link was sitting on a mare with a white mane.

"You ready?" Ingo asked with a sly grin.

Link shot him a dark glare. "Ready when you are, creep!"

Ingo chuckled. 'That fool will never win the race,' he thought. 'I made sure to let him ride that wild beast Epona... she will never do as he says. And while she makes him some trouble, I will win... and the cash will be mine! The great Ganondorf would be proud of me!'

Ukyo raised her hand. "Ready... set..."

She brought down her hand. "GO!"

And with sharp whinnies, the two horses dashed along the racing track.

"Link! Link! Go Link!"

The cheers coming from his friends encouraged the Hero of Time to do his best, however, his mount had other ideas. The reddish brown pelted horse with the white mane tossed her head about and almost swerved out of the racing tracks. Link barely was able to hold onto his reigns.

"Ho there, girl," he shouted. "You wanna throw me off? I need you to win this race, so don't disappoint me, okay?"

But Epona never liked to be ridden by strangers. First, that stubborn human Ingo tried treating her like she was nothing but filth, and then he decided she should be the new mount of that creep Ganondorf?

No way! She already saw that human once and liked him even less than Ingo.

And now she was being used as some common racing horse? Oh no, not if she had anything to say about it.

Link sighed. "All right, I guess I need to jog your memory, old pal…"

Epona nickered in confusion. What was that pointy-eared biped talking about?

She didn't see how Link pulled out the Ocarina of Time and started playing a soft tune, she instantly recognized.

The wild mare's ears straightened up. That melody... could it be?

Meanwhile, Ingo was already far ahead. He looked behind and laughed when he saw Link. "What's that guy doing, playing an instrument in the middle of the race? Is he giving up already or what?"

All of a sudden, the wild beast known under the name of Epona gave off a sharp whinny and reared up on her two hind legs.

'That's it!' Ingo thought gleefully. 'Now she's gonna throw him off...'

But she didn't. Instead, she fell back on all fours and started running, her rider lowering his upper body as she increased speed. And this time, it looked just like she was being totally obedient towards the green-clothed stranger.

"What the heck?" Ingo shouted when Epona and Link approached him. He cursed silently and spurred his steed, but to no avail.

Just a few seconds before the two horses ran across the finishing line, Epona zoomed past the stallion and its rider, carrying Link to victory!

Malon, Ukyo and the two fairies cheered in excitement, while Taro was giving Link a satisfied smirk. If the fairy boy was able to tame THAT wild beast, he certainly earned Taro's respect.

Taro and Ingo had tried many times to tame the indomitable Epona, but only the calm voice and gentle melody of Malon were able to soothe her. And now, by just that melody that Malon had taught to Link, back when they both had been kids, awakened her memories of the young boy that was clothed in green, just like her current rider. And when she recognized her old friend, she gave everything to make him the winner of the race.

Ingo jumped off his horse. "How could you do this?" he screamed. "How could you tame her like that? I wanted to make her the mount of the great Ganondorf, but never managed to make her obey. And you... you just made her listen to you, just by playing some silly old instrument? No way!"

Link smirked as he and Epona came closer. "Well, looks like you lost. So you have to keep your promise: Let Malon go!"

"That wasn't a fair win," Ingo proclaimed. "Had I known that the damned horse would listen to such a stupid song, I would have never let you ride on her."

Taro heard enough. "You let her go now, Ingo!" he grumbled as he stepped up to the lanky man. "Ganondorf or not, you are by yourself now, and nothing would stop me from breaking your spine."

Ingo gulped nervously while looking up at the towering muscleman. "You... you can't make me," he stammered. "Ganondorf will never lift the curse from you if you do that."

"Try me," Taro sneered.

Ingo was frantically searching for a way out of this, but deep inside, he knew that he had lost this one.

"Fine..." he sighed and lowered his head. "Go on and take her... she can go."

Link nodded at Taro, and Taro was just going to say something, when he felt something upon his shoulder.

He frowned and lifted his hand to the spot... and froze when he felt a wet spot. He then looked upwards... and gasped.

While everyone had been concentrating on the race between Link and Ingo, no one had paid attention to the weather. And so, no one had noticed the dark clouds that had appeared in the sky.

And then, Taro felt another raindrop coming down on his shirt. And then another one.

"Oh no..." he muttered. "Guys, take Malon and get out of here, quickly!"

"But what...?" Malon asked in confusion.

"Go, now!" Taro shouted. "In a few seconds I won't be myself anymore and..."

He groaned. By now, it really started pouring, and Link and Ukyo realized: It was too late to run.

Taro sank down to his knees and hid his face within his hands. And then, the rain started to trigger his transformation...

A pair of wings sprouted from his backside. His face lengthened into the snout of a bull. A thin and slick eel tail emerged from his buttocks. His feet turned into cloven hooves, and his whole body grew into titanic proportions.

Ingo yelped in fear as he saw the giant Minotaur towering above him. While he knew that Ganondorf had Taros monster form under control, he didn't have that advantage himself. And if Ganondorf didn't give the winged Minotaur a specific order, he would go on a blind rampage.

The beast that was Taro bellowed in fury as lightning crackled down and turned his bodyframe into a dark silhouette.

"Bring Malon to safety!" Link shouted. "I'll try to knock him out somehow."

"You against that monster?" Ukyo screamed. "Are you nuts?"

"Remember Gohma? I beat her and Barinade as well, and they were as big as this guy. Trust me, I can do it."

Ukyo wanted to point out that Link had help in both of the mentioned battles, but she realized that this wasn't the time to argue... and Malon really had to be brought to a safe place.

And besides, this would be the first time he could use the Master Sword in battle... and if it was really that powerful, maybe he really had a chance of winning.

Taro let out a deafening moo and stomped down on the ground, where Ingo was lying. The lanky man screamed in terror and rolled away from the massive hoof.

The stomp missed Ingo's torso, but instead, came down on his wrist.

Ingo cried out in pain as his hand was seemingly crushed underneath the colossus' right foot. Link quickly took out his hookshot and aimed for Taro's horns.

The chain wrapped itself around the minotaur's left horn, and Link yanked with all his might. His adult body was certainly stronger than his child body, but it was still no match for the strength of Taro.

"Time to use the present Impa gave us after we left," he grumbled and pulled two heavy items out of his backpack.

And when he slipped into the Iron Boots, their weight magically increased his own weight tremendously. Taro snorted in surprise when the enormous weight pulled him downwards... and made him collapse on the floor.

Link took off the Iron Boots and quickly jumped over to the whimpering form of Ingo. Now he saw: Taro hadn't really crushed his hand. A solid band of iron was around the former farmhand's wrist, giving off a mysterious shimmer. But it also had some cracks in it, as a result of the minotaur's massive stomp. And now the shimmering light began to flicker.

"Wh-what?" Ingo muttered. "What happened? Where... where am I? Oh Nayru help..."

'Huh?' Link wondered. 'What's wrong with him?'

Navi flitted over to the enchanted bracelet and used her clairvoyant fairy abilities.

She gasped. "Link, that bracelet... it's embedded with dark magic. I believe someone put a mind control spell upon it... and I think you know who did it."

Link frowned. "Ganondorf..." he muttered darkly.

A roar coming from Taro made him turn around. He had nearly forgotten about the Minotaur.

Taro rose up from the ground again, his eyes blazing with fury. And as the rain continued to pour down on his massive frame, Link awaited his next move with gritted teeth.

With a loud roar, the giant beast that was Taro smashed his fist down on the ground where Link was standing. With a skilled backflip, he avoided being squashed on the ground.

He drew his sword. "Din damnit," he cursed. He looked over to where Ingo was still lying on the ground.

"Please..." the lanky man whimpered. "Help me..."

"Link, we have to help him," Navi said. "If he was really controlled by that bracelet..."

"You're right," Link nodded. "But how am I gonna get him away from there while fending off Taro?"

Suddenly, something knocked hardly into the minotaur's back and made him stumble. An angry moo was being followed by a sharp whinny.

"Epona?" Link said in awe as he saw how the chestnut-colored mare raised on her hind legs again, intent on attacking Taro with her hind legs.

Epona was furious. No one would attack her friend! With an angry snort, Taro reached for her hind legs, but missed her.

Link used that short amount of time his equine friend gave him and dragged Ingo to safety. At the barn, he put his body down, next to Ukyo and Malon. "Here, watch him!" he said and jumped back into battle. While Epona was one strong filly, he didn't want to know what Taro would do to her in his fury.

Just as the monstrous beast ripped one of the wooden stakes out of the fence that surrounded the pasture, to use it as a club, Link arrived back at the scene. Once again he took out his hookshot, aiming for the makeshift club. But this time, he didn't put on his Iron Boots.

The force of the retracting chain pulled him towards the shoulder of the minotaur, where he wrapped his legs around Taros neck and grabbed the long horns with his hands.

"All right, Taro," he grumbled. "Let's see what you're doing when you can't reach your opponent."

Bellowing in anger, Taro wildly flailed around the air, trying to reach that flea that was sitting on his nape.

Back in the barn, Malon looked at the battle in worry. "We have to do something," she said. "Taro isn't really evil. He's just mind-controlled by Ganondorf."

"The... the bracelet," Ingo groaned from where he was lying. "Ganondorf... he gave it to me when he came here for the first time. He promised me a good position on the ranch, would I take that cursed piece of jewelry." He buried his face in his hands. "As soon as I put it on, I lost any meaning of right or wrong. It made me act in a way I would never act by myself. And he also told me, after I put it on, that I would never have to fear anything from Taro as long as I would wear it. I believe... he also uses it to turn his monster form into a mindless killing machine."

Ukyo looked down at the cracked, shimmering piece of jewelry with resolute eyes. "Is that so? Well, then I know what I have to do."

She slipped Ingo's hand out of the bracelet and put it down on the hard floor of the barn. She then raised her spatula high above her head.

Outside, Taro had managed to throw Link off his neck by beating his wings rapidly. The Hero of Time swiftly rolled over the ground and stood right back up. He gasped when he saw a fist the size of a boulder coming down on him. In the last instance, he reached for his shield... and realized too late that his Deku Shield was far too small for him to use. Besides, that powerful punch would have reduced it to wooden splinters.

In the barn, Ukyo gritted her teeth and focussed her energy, just like the Great Fairy had told her.

And then she smacked the spatula down with a massive swipe. "End of the line!" she shouted. The power of the magically enforced blow shattered the bracelet into small pieces.

And just before the minotaur's fist hit him, Link raised his arms and winced, expecting the crushing blow that would pound him into the ground.

But it never hit him.

Blinking, Link carefully peered through his arms. He saw the giant bull-creature standing in front of him, staring at him with wide eyes.

And then... Taro pulled his fist. Looking at it in awe, he then snorted apologetically and lowered his head.

Link stood up from the ground. The rain was still pouring down on Taro's massive frame, and he was still in his monstrous form, but... the primal fury he had seen in his eyes was gone. What looked back at him was an intelligent creature, a Hylian trapped within a monstrous shell.

Taro was in control of his cursed form, once again.

Malon, Ukyo and Tatl looked over at them from the barn. The ranch girl sighed in relief. "It's over..." she muttered. "Now Daddy can come back... and we will be able to live in peace again."

----

Shortly afterwards, they were all sitting inside the ranch house, Taro back to his normal self.

"I still can't believe it..." he whispered. "At last... free from that mind control."

He then glared over to where Ingo was sitting, back in his usual farming attire. "That still doesn't mean I'm gonna forgive you that easily, you hear me?"

The mustached man slumped in his chair and hid his face within his hands. "I'm sorry..." he said again and again. "I'm so sorry... if I ever could undo it..."

"Hey, I don't think that's quite fair, Taro," Ukyo intervened. "Sure, he has done a few stupid things... but you gotta remember that he was a victim of that cursed bracelet as well."

"No, he's right," Ingo sighed. "He's right... I should have never accepted Ganondorf's offer." He shook his head. "I was greedy. And envious. I always thought that Talon, well... That he didn't deserve to be the owner of such a nice farm, considering how rarely he stood up from his naps. Still, without the influence of that bracelet, I would have never..." He sighed.

"Well, it's true that Daddy can be a little... slack sometimes," Malon agreed. "I suppose I have to talk to him, once he returns." She smiled. "I still can't believe it... Daddy will return." She turned to Ukyo and Link and hugged them. "Thank you! Thank you so much for what you did! How can I ever repay you?"

"Aw, it's nothing," Link replied bashfully. "As long as we may return here every once in a while when we need a place to stay."

Suddenly, his tummy started rumbling. He chuckled. "Um, and a nice meal would be nice as well."

Malon giggled. "Of course, I'll get right to it. How does an omelette sound? Made of real LonLon Eggs?"

Tatl grinned and rubbed her tummy. "Sounds good! I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole cow."

"Um, don't look at me, please," Taro chuckled. They all had to laugh at that.

"Hey, lemme help you. I'm pretty good with cooking," Ukyo said when Malon stood up.

Malon smiled. "Sure. And tonight, you can stay here on the ranch. I won't let you sleep out there, where the Stalchildren and Poes might get you."

----

Early in the morning, Link woke up. He yawned as the warm rays of the sun shone into the barn. Malon had offered them to sleep in the house, but Link, being a gentleman, left the two beds for the girls and decided to spend the night in the hay, as Taro did.

The sound of clopping hooves made him turn his head. He snickered when Epona came up behind him and touched him with her muzzle.

"Hey there girl, how're you doing? What, you hungry?"

The mare nickered affirmatively and sniffed at his pocket. He laughed and pulled out a few Deku Nuts. "Here, have some! When you don't need them to stun some monsters, they're actually quite tasty."

Epona seemed to agree, as she greedily slurped up the small nuts with her slobbering tongue and made Link's hand all wet."

"Well, looks like the two of you are getting along quite well," a pleasant voice came from the entrance.

Link stood up to face his hostess. "Well, you could say I always liked animals. I mean, I spent most of my life in the forest, remember? Wouldn't do any good not to like animals when you're surrounded by them."

"I guess so," Malon smiled.

Link looked around the barn. "Hey, where are Taro and Ingo?"

"Oh, they are up already, they're used to it. When you work on the farm, you have to get up early to take care of the animals. Besides, I believe the two of them wanted to try and start anew with their 'relationship'. Taro thought that he might forgive Ingo if he spent some time with him working, seeing that he really was serious when he apologized."

"Good idea," Link said. "So, and what are you up to?"

She came closer to him and tipped his nose slightly with her finger. "I already told you, silly! On a farm, I have to get up early. I'm here to feed the animals. I would have come earlier, but I didn't want to wake you up."

"Oh, how considerate of you!" Link said in a mocking tone of voice. "You could have fed the animals while I was asleep, you know? I have a very deep sleep."

"I already figured as much," she grinned. "I could hear your snoring over in the main house. Still, I thought it would best to let you wake up by yourself. I mean, what if I accidentally put YOU into the cow's through? You have been sleeping in the middle of their food, after all."

"Oh, now I am supposed to be grateful, all of a sudden?"

She smirked. "Maybe."

They both had to laugh afterwards. Epona shook her head as she trotted over to her own morning meal of hay. Humans... she would never understand them.

Later, Link and Malon were sitting on the fence that surrounded the horse pasture and watched Epona and the other horses running around.

Malon shuffled around nervously and fidgeted with her thumbs. "Y-you know..." she finally said in a quiet voice. "I like you very much, Link..."

"So?" Link asked as he watched Epona galloping by.

"Y-yeah..." She blushed. "And I was wondering if you, um... if you felt the same way."

He blinked. Then he nodded and said: "Yeah, sure! Of course I do!"

"R-really?" she asked hopefully. "You really mean it?"

"Of course! I mean, you're a nice girl, you're cute and you're good with animals. What's not to like?"

Malon hid her face in her hands, to hide her intense blush from her childhood crush's view.

'Oh Farore help me, he said yes...' she thought. 'Oh my... what do I do now?'

Link looked at the redhead in confusion. Why was she acting so weird? All he did was saying that he liked having her as a friend.

"Um, and would you consider, uh... staying with me at the farm?" she asked in a squeaky voice.

"Huh?"

"I mean, not right now! Um, perhaps later... when you finished with your travels. You told me you had to help someone in the forest, and a few other guys as well, but... If you are finished, would you come back to me?"

Link smiled. "Sure, why not?" Hey, he always liked to visit friends. And Malon was a great cook, almost as good as Ukyo.

"Oh Link!" the ranch girl cried in joy as she hugged him. "I'm so happy!"

"Um, good to see you are," Link replied, still a bit confused. She was acting weird. He shrugged. Girls... Go figure!

Well, but she was cute, so that was okay.

"Hey, you guys are coming or what?" Ukyo shouted from the main house. "Breakfast is ready!"

----

Later, after breakfast, Link and Ukyo decided it was time to leave. Malon insisted they should take along Epona, as she figured that travelling across the plains of Hyrule would be much faster on horseback.

"Besides, I don't think I would've been able to keep her away from her," she giggled as Epona once again sniffed at Link's pocket, searching for Deku Nuts. "She seems to have taken a liking to you."

"Yeah, seems so," Link chuckled. "Thanks for everything, Malon! We'll be back, I promise!"

"I know you will," she gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She was a little sad to see her love leave already, but the excitement of waiting for his return made it worthwhile.

"And you two, be nice to each other," Tatl scolded Taro and Ingo. The two men grinned at her, then at each other.

"Leave already, ya silly firefly!" Taro laughed. "And don't worry, guys... we'll make sure neither Ganondorf nor any of his flunkies will set their feet on this ranch ever again."

"Good to hear it, sugar!" Ukyo said. "Well, have to go now. We can't let our friends back in the woods keep waiting."

And after Link and Ukyo had mounted the chestnut brown mare - Ukyo sitting behind her friend - they waved a last time and then rode away.

"Good luck on your adventure!" Malon shouted after them. "And may Nayru protect you!"

While both Link and Ukyo were grateful to hear those words, they were particularly meant for the male half of the duo.

'Please, Link, come back safely...' Malon pleaded silently.

----

Mido, self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri, gasped when a certain, green-haired girl came running into his house.

"Saria! What the...? What happened? Did those monsters see you?"

"N-no, I think not," she said with a shaking voice. "Still, I believe they are looking for me. I can't stay for long, or else I will put you in danger..."

"Don't be silly, Saria! Of course I'll protect you! What were you thinking, leaving your hut with those monsters around? Everyone else has taken cover."

She felt a tiny bit of anger at him, but only as much as the gentle girl was able to feel at all. "Sure, let's hide and cower within our huts! I'm sure everything will turn out fine then. Maybe the big, evil monsters will even leave if we ask them nicely."

"You're not fair," Mido protested. "I just did that to not endanger any Kokiri. You know that most of us aren't trained with a weapon."

"I don't see you out there. What was it you said to Link before he and Ukyo left? Oh yes, I remember: Carrying a sword and shield is the privilege of the leader. Well then, fearless leader, time to put that sword of yours to action."

"I... I..." Mido winced. Did she had to mention that in this situation? It made him feel very uncomfortable. "I don't really have a sword..."

Saria rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

Her fairy Sprite zipped into the hut through a window. "Saria, we have to hurry! That Moblin leader is suspecting that you are here and has ordered those Mad Dekus to get you."

"Just great," Mido's fairy companion Bark groaned. "As if those giant Deku Babas in front of our doorstep weren't enough."

"Stop whining!" Sprite scolded. "Why don't you make yourself useful and scout ahead to see if they are coming?"

"M-me?" Bark squeaked. "Go out there? Are you c-crazy? They'll kill me for sure!"

"Just make sure they don't spot you," Mido sighed. "I have to agree with Sprite this time, go out there and do something constructive for once."

Bark felt betrayed, but realized that both his leader and girlfriend were right. He sighed and carefully flew outside, followed by Sprite.

"Mido, you have to do me a favor," Saria then said.

"Anything!" Mido said, hoping at the same moment that he wouldn't regret those words. But he still wanted to make up for... Well, whatever Saria thought he did wrong.

"I will go into the Forest Temple and hide there. I don't think they will be able to find me there, it's a sacred place, after all. You have to make sure that no one follows me. You know the path through the Lost Woods, do you?"

"Sure, but what do you expect me to do? You know I'm no swordsman like Link was..."

Saria smiled. "Well, you still are quite the skilled slingshot user, aren't you? And I don't have to remember you just how often you prevented other Kokiris from going where you didn't want them to go, right?"

Mido blushed a bit, remembering the events shortly before the Deku Tree's death. He felt a bit bad for treating Link and Ukyo as if it had been their fault.

Still, even after all those years, why was Saria still talking about Link? To be honest, Mido did not believe that he and Ukyo would ever return. It has been seven years. And didn't the Deku Tree teach his children that every Kokiri who leaves the forest will die? He only didn't mention this possibility to Saria because he didn't want to hurt her.

"Okay then... I'll guess I can do it."

"Promise, Mido!" Saria begged. "Promise me that you will let no one go past there who is not one of my friends, okay?"

Mido sighed and nodded. "I promise!"

She smiled. "Good, then let's go!"

Sprite and Bark came flying back into the hut. "Saria, hurry! The Mad Dekus have arrived, and they are rampaging through the village. I don't believe they'll stop before they found you."

Saria was worried about her other Kokiri friends, but luring their enemies out of the village was the only way to make them stop.

She looked over to Mido and gave him a smirk. "Let's just hope the others are listening to their leader and stay within their houses."

They slowly opened the door and sneaked around the house. Careful not to be seen by the Mad Dekus, they tiptoed towards the entrance of the Lost Woods.

When they reached it, Saria turned to face her fairy companion.

"Sprite, I want you and Bark to find Konatsu and Tael. We got separated from each other when that witch attacked. I feel bad for not being able to help them, but... at least I want to know if they are safe or not. Especially Tael. He isn't used to taking care of himself all alone..."

"Don't worry," Sprite said. "We'll find them." Bark nodded.

"But Saria," Mido protested. "What about the Lost Woods? Without your fairy companion, you will turn into a Skull Kid if you spend to much time in there."

Saria smiled at him. "I don't think we have to worry about that. We have bigger problems now. Sprite, Bark, good luck!"

The fairies flew away while Mido and Saria entered the Lost Woods.

'Well, I have been hoping that Link might return one day,' Saria sighed mentally. 'But I suppose he's pretty lucky... If he would see what state our beloved woods are in, he would be as sad as I am...'

----

Link was in a state of shock. He stared around the beautiful forest, once filled with the voices of birds and other animals.

Now only the cold chill of an evil wind was blowing through the thicket, and the screeches of the Mad Dekus were mixing with the gruff shouts of the Moblins, as they were all rampaging through the forest.

"What happened here?" he muttered again and again as he crouched down next to Epona. "What did they do to our home?"

He could see it, the trees themselves were in pain. More brutal than ever, the Moblins were mishandling their trunks by chopping them down with their axes. The rotten stench of the undead skeletons was making their leaves wither and die. And more and more plant creatures were turning into evil monsters.

"We have to stay quiet," Ukyo whispered. "Or else they'll find us." There was the chance they might be able to beat them all, but from the big amount of voices, she doubted it.

And while her inner voice screamed at her to take revenge for the forest, her common sense told her that this might not be the most wise thing to do right now.

"We have to reach the village," she said. "We'll decide what we'll do once we see how the situation is back there."

Navi was sitting in the depths of Link's green cap, which he had taken off. She was pulling her legs close to her body and whimpered. She could not stand seeing her beloved home like this.

Tatl tried her best to soothe the blue fairy. She then looked through the trees with a growl. "If they hurt one of my friends, they'll pay for it! And if they even touch my brother, I will strangle them to death!"

Ukyo could have pointed out that most of their opponents would likely be more powerful than a common fairy, but she decided not to say anything.


	11. The Forest Temple

"This is it... " Link said. "Finally, after all those battles, I'm finally coming back home."

He shook his head. "Well, it has been a much longer time for Saria and the others... but the main point is that we're back, right?"

"Yeah," Ukyo sighed. "But... seeing the woods in such a state pains me... I mean, you have been living in the forest for a much longer time than me. But it's still my home."

"I just hope those monsters have'nt done anything to them... I mean, what's the whole point behind all of this? Whatever does Ganondorf want here? He has never been interested in us forest folk."

"Ask him when you meet him," Ukyo grumbled. "I just wanna make sure that the others are fine."

"Hey, I don't want to interrupt," Tatl suddenly interjected. "But aren't you worried about the other Kokiri's reaction when they find out that you have... well, grown up?"

"Tatl, I think we have much bigger problems now to discuss than mysterious, spontaneous puberty, okay?" Ukyo replied.

"Ukyo!" Link suddenly shouted. "Do you remember these tree carvings?"

"Of course!" Ukyo winced. "I could never forget how Mido made them... just to annoy us."

They all looked at the carved heart, with the two words 'Link' and 'Ukyo' within.

"I still have to kick his butt for this..." Ukyo grumbled.

"But that's not what I meant," Link said excitedly. "It means we're almost there. Come, we just have to go past through these bushes and..."

Navi, Tatl and Ukyo followed their friend as he hurried through the thicket.

Link was so happy to be home at last, that he did not consider any possible danger that might be waiting for them.

"Guys!" he shouted. "Saria! We're back! We're..."

He stopped right in his tracks when he stepped into the clearing where the village was located... and saw the bunch of red-leaved, Mad Dekus that was rampaging through the village.

And the Giant Deku Babas that were growing in front of the houses...

And the Skulltulas that were hanging from the trees...

And the Octoroks that were infesting the village pond...

"What...?" he muttered in disbelief as his gaze darted from one monster to another. "What happened here? How did all these... Where are our friends?"

"I don't know, sugar..." Ukyo grumbled and pulled out her battle spatula. "But I'm gonna find out. In the meantime, I won't let those bastards run around freely in our home. You with me?"

His fearful confusion turned into grim determination, as the Hero of Time drew his blade and took his shield from his back. "Time for a little extermination..." he growled.

"Go get 'em!" Tatl cheered.

Navi, who had grabbed a pair of dandelions, was doing a small dance in mid-air. "Link, Link, he's our man! He beats up monsters like no one can!"

And they beat up a few monsters.

And everyone was rejoicing...

Well, everyone except the monsters.

----

Later, Link was wiping some Deku Baba sap from his blade. He looked around the village and sighed. "Man, what a mess..."

"Hey, nothing a bit weeding couldn't solve, right?" Ukyo smirked.

"Yeah, you two sure showed them," Tatl smirked. "They will think twice before coming back..."

"Um... I don't think they can come back," Navi pointed out.

"Well, whatever..." Tatl grumbled. She didn't like it when the blue fairy started to act like a know-it-all...

"Um, excuse me?" a voice behind them suddenly spoke up.

Link turned around... and saw no one.

"Um... I'm down here, sir!"

Link looked down... and gasped when he recognized Fado, the blonde Kokiri girl living next to Saria.

'I can't believe it...' he thought. 'She seems so small now...'

Fado bowed shyly in front of the two heroic strangers. "Thank you so much for saving our village from the monsters. We don't know what we would have done if you hadn't shown up."

"Um, you're welcome..." Link said and exchanged a confused glance with Ukyo.

Ukyo shrugged and whispered to the fairies: "Hey, how come she doesn't recognize us? Our clothes aren't that different from back when we left."

"Well, I can't blame her," Navi whispered back. "According to what the Great Deku Tree taught us, no Kokiri will ever grow up... so she probably won't recognize you two, because you certainly don't look like you did seven years ago... while she and all the other Kokiri do."

"How would you know that the other Kokiri are all still like that?" Tatl asked. "If Link grew up after leaving the forest, maybe some of them did the same..."

Navi shrugged. "Well, take a look around..."

Tatl did. And saw all the Kokiri hesitantly coming out of their houses.

"What happened?"

"Are the monsters all dead?"

"Those two brave Hylians saved us all!"

"Hooray!"

"Wow, they sure are big..."

"I thought they could never enter the forest..."

"Hey, Miss! Your weapon looks just like the one a friend of mine was always using before she left the forest..."

"I don't believe it..." Ukyo muttered as she and Link were surrounded by their childhood friends, all of them much smaller as them. "No one recognizes us?"

"You have to accept our hospitality," Fado exclaimed. "Would you like some Kokiri stew?"

"Actually, we don't have much time..." Ukyo started.

That's when their tummies started rumbling. "Yes, we'll have some," Link replied with an embarrassed grin.

Later, they were all sitting in the house of the Know-it-all-Brothers, the biggest house in the village.

Navi looked down at the bowl she and Tatl were sharing. "Um, this isn't called Kokiri Stew because it's made of... well, you know..."

"Of course not!" One of the female Kokiri twins giggled. "It's called that because we Kokiri made it. It's ingredients are Deku Nuts, maple sirup, blackberries..."

"Oh. So it's just a vegetarian dish, right?" Navi asked with relief.

"...bee larvae and caterpillars..."

"UGH!" Navi gagged. "Too much information..."

While eating her stew, Ukyo looked around the hut. All of her old friends from the village were present, either cramped into the hut or looking in through the door and the windows. But she was missing a few faces...

But she couldn't ask them directly about their whereabouts.

"Say... who's your leader, by the way?" she asked Fado.

"Oh... you know, that's a good question. Um, for most of our lives, you could say it was the Deku Tree... But he died, unfortunately. That was about seven years ago..."

"Yeah," one of the Know-it-all-Brothers nodded. "We can remember it so clearly because that was the day when two of our friends left the forest..."

"You know, you two sorta look like them," the younger twin giggled. "Well, if you were Kokiris, that is."

"I suppose you could say that Mido is our leader," another Kokiri shrugged. "At least that's what he always calls himself."

"Oh, and where is this Mido?" Ukyo asked, trying not to make it sound as if she would already know him.

"Well, I saw him and Saria fleeing the village when the Mad Dekus attacked," Fado spoke up. "They were entering the Lost Woods... and strangely enough, their fairies weren't with them."

"When was that?" Link shouted in agitation.

"I think it was a few hours ago," Fado said.

Link stood up. "Ukyo, c'mon, we have to go now!"

"Wait up, Link! Just let me finish my... um... uh-oh!"

Every single Kokiri was staring at the two tall teenagers with disbelief.

"You two... are Link and Ukyo?" Fado muttered.

Ukyo winced. "Um, yes."

Fado giggled. "WOW! I can't believe it! What a coincidence! You know, our two friends that left the forest have the same names as you."

Link, Ukyo and their fairies sweatdropped. They STILL didn't suspect anything?

Ukyo shook her head. "W-well, I think we should go now."

"Aw, you're leaving already?" the twins asked in unison.

"Well, we have to make sure that your friends Mido and Saria aren't in trouble, right?" Link said. "There are more dangerous monsters in the Lost Woods, so someone has to protect them."

"Ah, you're right!"

"Good luck then!"

"Go go Hylian Rangers!"

The other Kokiri gave Fado weird looks.

"Hylian Rangers?"

Fado shrugged. "Well, what else should we call them?"

----

Later, all of the remaining Kokiris were showing their two heroes the entrance to the Lost Woods.

Of course they already knew the entrance, but they didn't want to show their old friends that they did.

"You have to make sure not to get lost," the oldest of the Know-it-all-Brothers said. "Go right, left, right again, left again, then go straight ahead and after a while, left again. Then you'll reach the Sacred Meadow, Saria's favorite place. I'm pretty sure they are hiding there."

"Thank you!" Link said. "Um, are you going to be alright by yourselves?"

"Ah, don't worry about us!" Fado grinned. "When the monsters return, we just hide in our huts again. We're pretty good at that."

"Good to hear that," Ukyo chuckled. "So, wish us luck, then!"

"Good luck!" Fado said. "And oh, before you, go can you answer me one question?"

"Sure, go ahead!"

The blonde Kokiri looked kinda uncomfortable and tried not to stare at the two gleaming balls of light that were hovering near her savior's shoulders.

"Um... how did you get two fairy companions? I always thought only Kokiri could have one."

Navi and Tatl gulped. Now what were they supposed to tell them?

"Um..." Link scratched his head. "They... are import fairies! Exchange students from abroad... You know, in their home country, even Hylians can have a fairy companion."

Ukyo facefaulted. They would never believe that story...

"Ah, I see!"

"Now that's an interesting story!"

"Think I could go there some time?"

The Okonomiyaki chef turned heroine fell over. Yes, they would...

----

Sighing in relief, Saria looked up at the building in front of her.

Half overgrown with plant life, the Forest Temple seemed to be just another embodiment of the forest that surrounded it. Saria wondered how old that building really was, and who built it.

She turned around to see if really no one followed her. But she doubted it. Mido wouldn't let her down. While he could be tedious at times, he was a reliable guy when the situation was dire.

And on top of that, he was indeed the master of 'blocking the road'.

Looking back at the temple, Saria couldn't help but think of the Deku Tree. Would he have anticipated any of this, were he still alive?

She closed her eyes and folded her hands. "Great Deku Tree..." she whispered. "Wherever you are now, I know you are watching us. For all those years we had to live without your protection, I did my best to lead the Kokiri onto the right path. There have been hard times, and often I had wished more of my friends were around me, but I did my best. Today, more than ever, I wish you were here to guide me. I know you can't do that from where you are right now, so I ask of you: Bring me good luck so my pursuers won't spot me."

She then opened her eyes again and nodded. "Yes, I won't give up. As long as they haven't caught me yet... there's still hope. And within the temple, they won't find me."

Saria took a small pod out of her pouch, with several, colorful beans within.

She took one magic bean and planted it in a spot of soft soil. Almost instantly, a small leafy sprout came out of the earth. The Kokiri girl then took out her Ocarina... and wondered whatever happened to her first one, the one she gave Link as a present.

Putting the instrument to her mouth, she played a short tune. She heard this song from a travelling Hylian once, who had gotten lost in the woods. Fortunately, Konatsu had been able to guide him out of the forest.

Before the little Deku Ninja had appeared, the man had played a small tune with his flute... exactly the same song she was playing right now. She clearly remembered what happened that day: As if the skies themselves wanted to share the man's sorrow, it started raining when he played on his flute.

Saria, who had always been adept with the ocarina, quickly taught herself the musical tune and called it the 'Song of Storms'.

Right after Saria had finished playing the song, it started raining. She smirked as she imagined how Ganondorf's minions would get soaked by the rain.

At the moment the raindrops were falling on the small sprout, it grew into a bigger plant with broad leaves... big enough for a person to stand on.

Saria stepped on the Hover Plant and instantly, the magical plant started hovering, as its name indicated. When it reached the upper part of the broken stairs in front of the temple entrance, she jumped off.

She smiled. As long as her pursuers weren't able to fly, they wouldn't be able to catch up with her now.

Satisfied, she turned around and entered the Forest Temple.

It was dark inside, almost a bit gloomy. But Saria felt safe. Not a single soul had been around here for ages. In here, she could wait until Ganondorf's monsters grew tired of the search and left the woods. Afterwards, when it was safe to leave, she would return to her friends in the village.

After walking through a corridor whose walls were covered with moss and ivy, she came into a big hall. In its middle, she could see four torches.

"This must be the temple's main hall," she murmured to herself and looked around. She pondered. Maybe she should go and explore the temple...

She yelped in surprise when all of a sudden, a cold hand touched her backside. She spun around and nearly got a heart attack when she saw how a translucent figure was rising out of the floor... a floating figure with a black face and glowing eyes.

'A Poe,' she realized instantly. 'A cursed spirit of evil...'

The Poe was female, as she could see. Brown hair came spilling out of a straw cap sitting upon her head. She was also dressed in the tatters of a pink gown.

The ghost smiled. "Ooooh, a little new toy for me to play with! Come to little Azusa!"

----

Using her magical abilities, Veran levitated the magical crystal that contained Konatsu to the ceiling of the room.

"There you go! And pipe down!"

The Deku Ninja banged against the walls of his prison. "You evil witch... just you wait, the forest isn't as helpless as you think!"

"I beg to differ," the Sorceress of the Shadows smirked. "Against the powers of darkness, pretty much everyone and everything is helpless."

She turned around to face a dark shadow that was standing in a corner of the room. "Have you finished the trap already?"

"Just a few more minutes," the figure grumbled. "This is delicate magical work, you should know that it takes some time."

"I thought you were such a formidable master of the black arts," Veran mocked.

The figure angrily turned around... and Konatsu gasped when he recognized the face. He had never seen him before, but he heard how Business Scrubs from other parts of Hyrule have talked about him.

"Ganondorf..." he whispered.

The tall, armored man looked upwards. "Not quite, little Deku! I am merely an extension of my master's dark abilities. He's afraid he has no time for the likes of you little forest dweller, so he sent me to take care of everything."

Turning to Veran, he said: "And you should know that my powers diminish, the further I am apart from my master."

"Well, it still should be enough to set up a few stupid paintings," the sorceress huffed.

Phantom Ganon took a step closer to her. "Be careful what you say, Veran! You might be one of my master's generals... but I am an extension of his will. In other words, know your place, witch!"

Veran grimaced at those words, but she kept her composure. She had no choice but to obey that wretched phantom for now.

"As you command..." she grumbled as she lowered her head.

She then looked around the room. "She must be here by now, I can feel her powers. Where are those accursed ghosts?"

As if on cue, a dark shape came floating through the walls of the chamber.

"We have captured her, my lady..." the female ghost said with a grimace. "Azusa is taking her to the prison chamber."

"Very good, servant!" Veran smiled. She smirked when she saw how the ghost was squirming under the humiliation it had to endure. "I'll be there in a minute. We will need her to be encased in a crystal as well, or else she might escape."

She looked up at the crystal in which Konatsu was encased. "No one can escape from a magical prison... not even a ninja."

She looked back at the white-haired Poe in front of her. "You and your sisters will return to the main hall and stay on guard... who knows who might come to save her."

Asuka, formerly known as the 'White Lily', lowered her head. "As you command..."

Veran wagged a finger. "Tut-tut... that wasn't quite accurate... Let's try it again, shall we?"

Asuka groaned. "As you command... my mistress."

"Very good, servant!" the former princess of Hyrule smirked.

Back in life, Asuka Saginomiya had been a member of aristocracy, the spoiled daughter of a rich merchant... and Princess Kodachi's rival for the affection of Captain Mikado.

She died in an unfortunate carriage accident near Gerudo Valley... and thanks to her feelings of hatred and jealousy of the younger princess of Hyrule, her spirit lived on. And when the witch elders of the Gerudo tribe found her, they forced her into the servitude under their lord Ganondorf.

And now, after she had been forced to corrupt the spirit of Princess Kodachi... a task she had performed with joy... she learned to her dismay that she had to serve under the command of the very same person whose mind she had twisted to serve the forces of evil.

Veran waved her former rival away, and Asuka had to complain. Damn those obedience curses the Gerudo witches had put on her. One day, she would find a way to escape their evil magic... and then she would have her complete revenge.

But for now, she had to work with three incompetent spirits that were forced upon her as 'team mates'.

After the purple-dressed Poe had floated through several chambers and corridors of the Forest Temple, she reached the prison chamber in which a certain-green haired girl was sitting behind bars.

A pink-clad Poe turned around in mid-air. "Asuka! Lookie what I found! A new friend for us to play with!"

"Yeah, whatever..." the White Lily grumbled. "Listen, Azusa... Mistress Veran will come down here very soon to take the Kokiri with her. She told us to guard the temple entrance afterwards. Have you checked the girl for any weapons?"

"She only had this with her," Azusa said and gestured towards a small pile of items lying on a nearby table.

Asuka looked through the stuff. "Magic Beans... Deku Nuts... a bottle... and a Fairy Ocarina... that's all?"

Azusa nodded. "Yup!"

"And where is her fairy? Those blasted Kokiri never leave their house with one of those accursed bugs."

"She was all alone," Azusa shrugged. "I was disappointed, really... I was hoping to find a playmate for little Jerome." And she gestured towards the bottle, which now contained an irritated, purple-glowing fairy.

"I'm not Jerome!" the male fairy shouted. "My name is Tael, how often do I have to repeat that? Get me out of here!"

"Tael!" Saria shouted in surprise. "They got you as well?"

"I guess I had the same idea as you..." Tatl's brother sighed and slumped down on the bottom of his bottle. "I wanted to hide in here to escape the Moblins... And then that ghost girl grabbed me!" He gestured at Asuka.

"Sorry, but everyone who interferes with our master's plan will have to be punished," the White Lily smiled. She might not agree with Ganondorf in all things, but his ways of dealing with meddlers were quite admirable.

"Now where are the other two?" she asked. "We are all supposed to be here when Mistress Veran comes down here." Again, she had to wince, as the obedience spell was forcing her to call Kodachi her mistress.

"Well, Mariko is busy looking at that painting of General Onox, upstairs... I don't know where our fourth sister is, though."

"We are NOT sisters!" the white-haired spirit snarled in annoyance.

"But this is the name elder Koume gave us," Azusa protested. "And I like to think of us as sisters, Asuka... Why, I already love the three of you as if you were my family."

"Whatever..." Asuka mumbled. She looked around the room. Several peaces of furniture were standing around. "Tsubasa, where are you?"

A pony-tailed head came popping out of a cupboard. Asuka had no idea how that weird Poe was able to disguise himself like that.

"You called, Asuka-sama?" Tsubasa asked in a sweet voice. The brown-haired spirit then came floating out of the cupboard.

Azusa shook her head as she looked at the pink, frilled dress Tsubasa was clad in. How could that boy look so much cuter than her with that dress?

Asuka gestured upwards with her finger. "Go up there and tell Mariko to come down here! The mistress wants us to guard the entrance room."

The cross-dressing Poe nodded with a smile. "Anything for you, Asuka-sama!"

"Don't call me that!" she shouted after him, as he vanished through the ceiling.

----

A blonde Poe, clad in a pale blue dress, was floating in the circular room, staring at the portrait that was hanging at the wall. It showed a face that could have been handsome, wouldn't it been hidden beneath an iron helmet.

"Oh, General Onox..." the female ghost sighed. "You are sooo dreamy... I wish we could see each other more often..."

At that moment, the treasure chest standing in the middle of the room sneezed loudly.

"Bless you!" Mariko said politely, then she blinked.

Since when was there a treasure chest standing in the room?

"Tsubasa?"

The cross-dressing spirit came floating out of his camouflage. "Mariko, Asuka-sama told us all to come. We have to be prepared in case someone comes into the temple."

"Oh, all right..." she whined. "But can't I take my sweet Noxie-Woxie with me? He's such a hunk, don't you think?"

"Um... how am I supposed to know? He always wears that helmet, remember?" Besides, Tsubasa already had someone else he was thinking of...

Mariko huffed. "You're, like, no fun! Oh, let's get this over with." She turned around to face the portrait one last time and blew a kiss. "See ya later, Noxie-Woxie!"

----

Far away, in Goron City, the General of Darkness felt a shiver crawling down his spine. He couldn't explain it, but he decided that he had more urgent business at hand.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryoga yelled, his rocky finger aiming for the general's thick armor.

Onox deflected his attack with his massive sword. "Whatever it is you wanted to achieve with that attack, I won't have any of it," Onox grumbled. "Why don't you two just give up and save us the trouble?"

"No way!" Ranma shouted. "Not before I gave your armor a little dent... Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!"

Onox winced as the endless blows of the pig-tailed warrior came hailing down on his armor like hundreds of hammer strikes. It couldn't penetrate the metal plates, but it still left a mark.

And it was also pretty annoying.

"You are starting to make me very, very angry..." Onox grumbled. "And you won't like me when I'm angry..."

He pulled up his sword and swung it around in a circle, so Ranma had to leap over it.

He landed right next to his rival and friend. "You still can fight, Ryoga?"

"Yeah, but... what was that technique you just used?"

Ranma grinned. "Oh, it's just a nifty Gerudo technique for those who prefer to fight unarmed. Shampoo showed me how to use it." He winked at his fiancee, who was standing in the back with Genma, guarding Ryoga's little protege.

"Fine," Onox snarled. "Saotome, you spawn of the Zora... and you, warrior of the hellish rock creatures... you will feel my wrath!"

Ryoga sweatdropped. "What is he talking about?"

Ranma shrugged. "Dunno. He's always like this."

"And when I'm finished with you, both of your races will be crushed under the might of our armies. And then, none of the evil races will ever infest Hyrule with their presence again. Volvagia will devour all of your kind, Goron... but I will take care of you myself. And when I am done with you, I will take care of the rest of the rebels... The Gerudo traitor... the bear-man... and the brat as well!"

Something in Ryoga snapped. "NO! YOU WON'T LAY A HAND ON YOIKO, YOU HEAR ME?"

Ranma stepped back in surprise. He could feel how Ryoga's battle aura was increasing dramatically.

Ryoga grimaced. He could feel the sorrow, the pain the dark general was causing to his heart.

He projected that sorrow outwards...

"Shi Shi Hokodan!"

A shining blast of ki came forth from the palms of his hands. Onox had no time to react when the massive blast hit him and blasted him clear across the room...and buried him under a pile of rubble that came raining down from the cavern's ceiling.

Ryoga breathed heavily as he lowered his arms. He really managed to do it... his sensei's training had paid off.

He and Ranma exchanged a quick glance.

"Um... so, wanna check if he's really finished?"

Ryoga nodded, and the two young men went over to the pile of rubble, carefully.

It didn't even move.

"Well, either he is knocked out from your attack... or he just wants to trick us."

"Step aside," Ryoga grumbled. "I'm the rock expert here, fishy boy..."

Ranma grimaced, but let Ryoga do his work.

Ryoga reached out with his finger. "Bakusai Tenketsu!"

In a big blast and a shower of pebbles, the rocks were blasted apart. Even with his armor, Onox must have felt this one, if he was still lying underneath that rubble.

But now that it was blasted away... the two fighters could see that no trace of the general was left behind.

"How... how did he just vanish like that?" Ranma wondered.

Ryoga grumbled. "Ranma, would it hurt just to use that head of yours for a moment? He's the General of Darkness, and in league with not only Ganondorf, but also the Gerudo witches. Who says they didn't give him some way he could save his hide in some magical way?"

"Good point," Ranma admitted. "Now... you still wanna punch the hell outta me or what?"

"I'd love to..." Ryoga grumbled. "But I have more important business to take care of..."

The Goron turned around to face his rival. "And I need your help, Ranma!"

Ranma blinked. Ryoga asked him for help? What's next, Ganondorf offering candy for orphaned Zora children?

----

"You know, these woods have always irritated me..." Link muttered. "I mean, I feel more at home here than inside a whale's tummy, that's for sure, but... I dunno... How is it that almost every path leads back to the village?"

"I don't know," Ukyo shrugged. "And I really don't care. I like it here. Many places to stroll around, many creepy beasts to bash up..."

She sighed. "I just wish Konatsu was here... then I could tell myself it would be just like in old times..."

"It's strange," Navi spoke up. "We haven't seen him or Tatl's brother in the village... and that Saria and Mido would leave without their fairies also makes me wonder..."

Tatl huffed. "Tael has always been a bit of a..." She almost said coward, but that wasn't nice, after all, he was her brother. "He has always been... the careful one. Maybe he just hides with Saria and Mido until everything is over."

"Might be," Ukyo nodded. "Still, we should make sure that... huh?" She stopped as they entered yet another clearing.

"What's up?" Link asked as he stood next to her.

Ukyo gestured ahead. "Look!"

Link followed the gesture... and gasped when he recognized the lone figure standing in the middle of the forest path.

Mido put his hands on his hips. "I don't know who you are, but you two Hylians can't fool me by wearing Kokiri clothes! I promised Saria I would let no one through here, and I mean to keep that promise. So, whoever you twerps are, you better turn around and go back where you came from!"

Link groaned. Somehow he had the feeling he has been in that kind of situation before...

"Oh, just let me smack him with my spatula," Ukyo grumbled. "Just this once!"

Link hushed her and carefully came closer to the now noticeably smaller Kokiri. "Look... we don't want to make any trouble, okay? You are... Mido, right?"

Somehow it felt strange asking a long-time friend and rival that question...

"So, you heard of me, eh? Yup, that's me! Mido, leader of the Kokiri! What's it to you? Wait a minute!" He tilted his head. "You are not in league with those Moblin brutes that have been chasing us through the woods, right?"

"What? No! We're just, um... We are friends of Saria!"

Mido raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yes! You see, we have been wondering where she is, and, umm... the other Kokiri in the village told us you two were here."

"Listen, bozo! I may be smaller than you, but I'm not dumb. I know Saria has never left the forest before, so why should she befriend two Hylians like you?"

"Great job, Link..." Ukyo groaned. "Aw heck, I'm sick of this..." And she just walked past Mido.

Or she tried to.

Faster than the eye could see, the small Kokiri had stepped in her way. "Maybe you weren't listening: I WON'T let you pass!"

"Oh for the love of Nayru..." Ukyo seethed. "Get out of my way, you little..." She tried storming past him, but every time she took a step, Mido followed.

"Hey, he can't be at two places at the same time," Tatl suddenly realized. "Link, go!"

Link hesitated... but only for a moment,. Then he quickly tried running past Mido.

He almost fell over when Mido practically appeared in front of him. "Going somewhere?"

"Damn, how can anyone be that fast?" Ukyo groaned. She pulled out a Deku Nut. "I've had enough of this... Link, cover your eyes!"

Ukyo threw the Deku Nut to the ground, where it burst with a bright flash. Being certain that this would blind Mido for a moment, Ukyo started running.

Only to get blocked by the irritating Kokiri again. "Nice try! But I trained my eyes to be insensible against bright light. Many Kokiri tried that trick to get past me... Well, not anymore!"

Link tried another tactic. He pulled out his hookshot and aimed for a big tree behind Mido.

"Let's see how you're planning to stop me like this," he smirked and pushed the button.

The hook and chain shot out of the handle, embedded themselves into the wood of the tree and Link got pulled behind.

And just when Link believed he made it this time, he suddenly felt two hands grabbing his feet. "What the...?"

He looked backwards and saw Mido, whose strong grip prevented him from going any further. "Interesting tool, but not good enough to outsmart me!"

He gave his former rival a firm yank, and the hook got pulled out of the tree. With a groan, Link fell down to the forest floor, and Mido stepped into his way again.

"They don't call me the 'Master of Pathblocking' for nothing," he smirked.

Ukyo gritted her teeth and pulled out a blue, round object. "That's it! I'm gonna..."

"NO!" Tatl, Navi and Link yelled at once. "NO, DON'T DO IT!"

"Aw, come on! Please let me blow that little creep up!"

Link took the bomb out of his friend's hands. "Violence is never a solution, Ukyo!"

Ukyo raised an eyebrow.

Link winced. "Okay, except when dealing with monster jellyfish, giant spiders and fire-breathing dinosaurs!"

He turned back around to face Mido. "Look, I'm sorry we tried that, but... Saria is really our friend, you can believe us! We are worried she might be in danger."

"She won't be in danger," Mido said. "Because I won't let anyone through here. And she's in the Forest Temple, no one could have followed her there."

Ukyo and Link exchanged a quick look. "That's where we wanted to go in the first place. Can't you please let us through?"

Mido tilted his head. "Well... can you prove that you are friends of Saria?"

"How should we prove that?" Ukyo shook her head in disbelief.

"Wait a minute..." Link murmured. Quickly, he pulled something out of his bag.

Mido looked closely. "Huh, that almost looks like... Saria's ocarina!" But he shook his head. "Well, you might just have one that just looks like hers..."

Link smirked. "Just listen..." And he raised the Fairy Ocarina to his mouth and started playing...

Saria's Song.

Mido listened in awe as the sweet tunes came out of the instrument. "That melody... Saria always played it. She only taught it to her closest friends. That means you... you really must be her friends."

He sighed. "Okay... okay, all right! Maybe I misjudged you. If you know her song, I believe you!"

Ukyo blinked. "That's all? We play that song and you let us go through?"

"That's what I just said, wasn't it? Now hurry up and go, before I change my mind..."

Link smiled at Mido as he pocketed the ocarina. "Thanks, Mido! You are a great guy, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah, just don't tell anyone, okay?" the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri grumbled. "I have a reputation to keep, okay? Now go and see that Saria is fine."

"You can count on that," Ukyo nodded. "See you later then..."

They walked past him, but Mido called for them one last time: "Hey... hey you, wait a second!"

Ukyo sighed and turned around. "What now?"

"Um, I see you are strong fighters and all... and you must be quite the experienced travellers, right? Well then, I hope it's not too much to ask of you, but... If you should meet a young boy named Link on your journeys, or a girl named Ukyo... please... please tell them..."

Link listened intently. "Yes?"

Mido sighed. "Please tell them... I'm sorry! I... I didn't always treat them correctly, and I'm sorry for that. Saria and the Deku Tree have always said there was something special about them, and perhaps... perhaps I just didn't see it. Or I was just jealous. Either way, if you meet them, please tell them: I no longer believe that it was really them who caused the death of the Great Deku Tree... and that they always can come back, if they want to."

Link and Ukyo looked at each other in surprise, then Ukyo smiled down at Mido and nodded. "Don't worry! We'll make sure to tell them that."

Mido smiled back. "Good. Well then... good luck!"

And as the two green-clad warriors ventured deeper into the woods, he went back to his post as the guardian of the forest path.

"I always knew there was something good within him," Navi said.

"Yeah..." Link sighed. "Let's just hope Saria is really okay... and Konatsu and Tael, too."

Tatl huffed. "Aw, c'mon! If he's good at something, it's hiding. I mean, what kind of terror could possibly haunt my lil' brother?"

----

The pink-clad Poe giggled as she dropped a tiny bow into the bottle. "Here you are, Jerome! Now wear that bow like a good little pet, and Little Azusa will give you all the huggles you want!"

Tael hammered against the glass walls of his bottle prison as hardly as he could.

"LET ME OOOOUUUUUT OF HERE!!" he yelled.

----

"Are you sure you can't break your cage?" Saria asked as she struggled against her bonds.

Konatsu shook the bars from the cage he was imprisoned in, which was hanging from the ceiling, then he shook his head. "Sorry, I tried my best. The bars won't budge."

"Well, it was worth a try..." the green-haired Kokiri girl sighed. "I suppose the best chance we have is to hope that someone will come and rescue us..."

Konatsu stayed silent for a while, then he said: "You... are still thinking about Link, aren't you?"

"Well, of course I do!" Saria said. "I gave him my Fairy Ocarina... and he promised he would come back."

"See, I would be as happy as you if he and Ukyo were to return to the forest one day... but... it has been seven years. Do you actually think they would just choose this day to come back?"

Saria looked down. "Well, I suppose it's just my hope... I always hoped that Link would come back, and I would give everything if he would come back today."

"I... guess I know what you mean," the Deku Ninja nodded.

Just then, the door opened and a tall, armored figure entered the room.

Saria frowned. "We told you everything we know. Why don't you let us go yet?"

Phantom Ganon smirked. "It's always advantageous to have a hostage ready... but in your case, I have a special reason. There is a certain someone who has given my master so much trouble... and we need you to lure him into a little trap."

"Who are you talking about?" Saria asked in confusion. "I never left the forest... the only people I know are Kokiri, Fairies and Dekus."

The Phantom laughed. "I admit, I wouldn't have believed that this little troublemaker would come from a backwater village like this... and even one that's populated by Kokiri. Well, I have to admit, my master wouldn't have anticipated either that such a young little boy would be able to free that giant tree from his infestation (even if it was too late), free the whale guardian of the fish folk from my lovely mind-control parasite, and broke Lord Ganondorf's control over the ranch. We already hoped that he would be trapped within the Sacred Realm forever, but that last action was what informed us about his return."

Saria was starting to suspect who that 'little boy' Ganondorfs double was talking about could be.

"You couldn't possibly mean... Link?"

"A really pesky little brat, together with that fairy of his. And the other girl that's travelling with him... Bah, how shameful for the Dodongos that they were bested by a little girl with an oversized cooking utensil."

That proved it. He WAS talking about Link and Ukyo. "Wh-what do you mean, they came back? Where have they been for all those years? And how do you know I am their friend in the first place?"

"It's not that hard to read a person's mind as the people believe," Phantom Ganon sneered. "My lord is a real master when it comes to explore a person's mind, so that even I, merely an extension of his will, with only a fragment of his true powers, am able to look at your thoughts." He laughed. "Then again, you Kokiri never had too complex things on your mind."

Saria again tried to free her hands from the bonds that bound her to the metal bars of the fence that surrounded the central platform of the room, but to no avail. "Why are you so certain that Link is coming here? He could easily be in a completely different corner of Hyrule."

"I seriously doubt that, girl," Phantom Ganon said. "Why, I wouldn't wonder if he's close to the temple gates, at this very moment..."

----

"MOBLIN NO BAKA!"

THWACK!

Link watched with satisfaction as the muscular monster flew high over the forest's treetops, vanishing in the distance.

"Not bad," he said approvingly. "But I guess Akane would have done it with a bit more topspin..."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Ukyo grinned.

----

"And that's why we need you as a decoy, so he would step right into the trap we have prepared for him," Phantom Ganon laughed.

"He won't fall for that," Saria said with faith. "Link's too smart to fall for your stupid traps."

"Yes, and Ukyo is with him. They will watch out for each other," Konatsu added from above.

Phantom Ganon threw the little ninja an annoyed glance, then he concentrated back on his green-haired hostage. "Well, if you must know, there's also another reason why Veran captured you in the forest."

"And what reason would that be?"

The phantom grinned. "Ever heard of the prophecy of the Sages? They say that when the Golden Power falls into the 'wrong hands', and the land Hyrule is overcome with darkness and chaos, the destined Sages will awaken in their respective temples and aid the chosen hero to bring back peace to Hyrule."

He laughed. "Well we can't let that happen, can we? If the Sages were to help that so-called 'Chosen', my master's glorious rule would surely end, so his servants and I make sure that every single one of them will die a slow, painful and horrible death."

Phantom Ganon now grinned like evil incarnate.

"And how does that concern me?" Saria asked. "I don't know any of those Sages you talked about."

"I beg to differ," Phantom Ganon intervened. "As far as I know, you could be the Sage of the Forest."

Saria stared at him in disbelief.

"Why, didn't you ever use some strange powers you couldn't explain otherwise? Didn't you use those powers to communicate with the forest? Didn't you let plants grow and weren't you able to summon rain?"

"That... that doesn't prove anything," Saria protested. "You... you can't actually believe I am..."

"What? Where else do you suppose your powers come from if not from your destiny as a Sage? Did you believe you would be Farore's favorite Kokiri or what?" He laughed long and loudly. "No, no, I'm quite sure of it: You are the Sage of the Forest, my dear!"

He knelt down in front of her, grabbed her chin with his powerful hand and stared right into her green eyes. "And because of that, you are one of my master's most threatening enemies... and as such must be eliminated!"

He chuckled. "But don't worry, I won't kill you... yet! We still need you to lure your friend into our trap, after all But after that..."

Saria struggled with all her might against the chains that were binding her to the metal fence. "You... you can't do this to me! Please, you MUST have the wrong one... I assure you I am not the Sage you are looking for!"

"Oh, please!" the Phantom mocked as he stood up. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"She is right!" a voice from above suddenly said. "She isn't the Sage of the Forest!"

Phantom Ganon narrowed his eyes as he looked up to Konatsu's cage. "Huh? And how can you be so sure of that, little Deku?"

Konatsu looked back at him fiercely. "I know that because... I am the Sage you are looking for!"

Phantom Ganon looked at the imprisoned ninja for a while in bewilderment, then he sneered. "Nice try, little Deku! But ti will take more to fool me or my evil master! My master can FEEL the energy running through the veins of the Sages... he KNOWS that this girl is the Forest Sage!" He gestured at Saria.

"Me... a Sage?" Saria muttered in confusion. Could it be? Either way, this would be an explanation why she had always felt drawn to the Sacred Meadow and the Forest Temple...

"Can you be certain?" Konatsu tried one last time. "No one is perfect, you know? You master might have made a mistake!"

"If Lord Ganondorf were a person to make such mistakes, do you believe he would be the ruler of Hyrule today?" The Phantom shook its head. "No, no, this girl is the Sage, and after I have used her to lure that brat and his friends in here, I will get rid of her personally!"

Saria gasped with fright.

"But if she is the Forest Sage, wouldn't she have used her powers to escape by now?" Konatsu asked.

Phantom Ganon laughed. "I'd like to see her try that!" He pulled a glowing sphere out of his pocket. "As long as this sphere is in my possession, she won't be able to break free of her bonds. Only when it breaks would the magical shackle break apart as well."

"Thanks!" the Deku Ninja smirked. "That's all I wanted to hear." He inhaled and suddenly spat a glob of Deku spit at the surprised creature's hand. It knocked the glowing sphere out of its grasp, and it fell down to the stone floor, where it shattered with a loud crack.

At the same time, Saria felt how her bounds dissolved into thin air.

"Run, Saria!" Konatsu shouted."Run for your life - and warn Link and the others!"

Saria didn't want to leave her friend behind, but she nodded, jumped to her feet and started to run.

"STOP!" Phantom Ganon shouted and raised his hand, firing a bolt of magical energy at the escaping Kokiri girl.

Saria winced as she heard the whizzing sound of the incoming projectile and braced herself for impact.

'Farore, help me...' she desperately thought, and suddenly, she got surrounded by a storm of green, flashing lights.

The room with Konatsu and Phantom Ganon disappeared around her, and instead, she found herself standing in one of the temple's overgrown corridors.

She stared down at her hands. "How did I...?" she murmured. It then began to dawn on her... those were her powers as a Sage. As long as she was inside her temple, she was under her goddess' protection, and Farore's Wind would bring her to every room of her domain she wanted.

She thought about it for a while, then she nodded to herself with determination. "I'm not going to let those invaders do whatever they want inside my goddess' temple... I will protect the sacred forest from whatever may harm it!"

She then looked towards the door in front of her, where she knew the Entrance Hall to be. "But first, I'll have to warn Link and Ukyo of that trap."

----

Princess Zelda sat on the branch of one of the old trees which surrounded the Sacred Meadow, in her disguise as the Sheikah Sheik.

"Am I a coward not to intervene directly?" she wondered. "Shouldn't I go and help the Kokiri and other forest creatures as well? Are Impa and her daughters right when they say that I have to think about my own safety first? Am I that important that I can't risk to be detected, not even if I want to help the inhabitants of my kingdom? What kind of princess am I, if I can't even protect those that can't fight back on their own?"

She sighed. "Would Impa be here, I know what her response would be: 'You are the Princess of Hyrule! If Ganondorf catches you, everything would have been in vain! You are helping by giving Link and Ukyo clues what they have to do... You have to trust into their abilities as the heroes of time...' Well, of course I want to help them, but... can't I at least tell them who I really am?"

But inside her heart, the princess knew that she couldn't risk that. Ganondorf had his eyes and ears everywhere, and would he even catch a glimpse of her true face, he would be able to catch her... And if he did that, it would be as disastrous as if he had his hands on one of the Sages... it was bad enough that he already managed to get his hands on the young Kokiri girl...

Hopefully her friends would be able to save her in time...

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the footsteps of two persons entering the meadow...

'Well, here we go again...' she mentally sighed. 'Okay, remember what Impa told you: Calm, imposing and mysterious, calm, imposing and mysterious...'

----

Link looked down at the old tree stump that was situated in front of the Forest Temple.

"This... this was Saria's favorite place..." he said in a small voice. "She would sit on this stump, playing her favorite melody on her ocarina, and it always seemed as if all of the forest animals would listen only to her music..."

Ukyo and the fairies noticed how sad he was.

Navi flittered onto her friend's shoulder gently. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm pretty sure she is all right. We will find her in time!"

"Yeah!" Ukyo nodded and grabbed the handle of her spatula. "And anyone who wants to lay his hands on her will have to deal with me!"

"Thank you, guys..." Link said. "I know I shouldn't worry too much... I know she is a strong girl, but... I can't help but think that something might already have happened to her. What if they caught her...?"

Ukyo just wanted to answer, when all of a sudden, someone jumped down in front of them.

"Sheik?" Ukyo wondered as she recognized the young warrior's garments.

The Sheikah looked at Link.

"The flow of time is always cruel...

Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it.

A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days..."

Link seemed to understand what Sheik wanted to tell him, as he nodded.

Tatl, on the other hand...

"Does he have to recite bad poetry every time we run into him?" she muttered and crossed her arms. "That guy needs a hobby..."

----

"So, there they finally are..." Veran snickered. The Sorceress of Shadows came floating out of the darkness, looking at the backsides of the two green-clothed heroes that were just entering the temple.

"Phantom Ganon's plan to trap them inside the temple might just work... but if I take care of them right now, my master will be pleased as well... and he'll maybe reward me."

She lifted her hands to hurl a destructive spell at the unsuspecting forms of Link and Ukyo, just before they were entering the temple.

But in the last instant, a shape came dropping down from above. "Attacking someone from behind? I don't think so!"

Vean narrowed her eyes. "Who are you? How dare you interfere with the Sorceress of Shadows?"

"I am merely a wanderer... but I strike down evil where it stands."

Veran smirked. "How interesting! Very well then... amuse me!" Her eyes wandered to the crest visible on Sheik's clothes. "A Sheikah? Huh, and here I thought they all were extinct, after my master's assault on Hyrule Castle..."

"It is not easy to spot a Sheikah that doesn't want to be seen," Sheik quoted a sentence she had heard often from a certain, middle-aged Sheikah warrior.

Veran shrugged. "Well, what else can be expected from filth like you? You are a race of servants and bootlickers, always hiding cowardly in under the protective eye of your king... I truly despise the likes of you!"

These words made Sheik angry. Veran might not know who she was underneath her disguise, but as her best friends were members from the very same race, she got furious.

"Be still and fight!" she grumbled, pulling out a thin chain that almost looked like a whip.

Hopefully Impa's fighting lessons haven't been in vain...

"Die, you scum!" Veran screamed as she gathered her power in her hands...

----

As they were walking through the temple's entrance hall, marveling at the vine-covered walls and impressive architecture, Ukyo turned around her head.

"Did you guys hear something?" she asked.

Tatl shook her head. "Nope, only your voices!"

Ukyo furrowed her brow. "That's strange, I could have sworn..."

A sudden growl made her turn around in surprise. When she realized what was approaching them, she pulled out her spatula.

"You better focus on the problems at hand," Link grimaced as he drew his blade. He glared at the two feral Wolfos that were slowly approaching them. "Come on, you beasts!"

"Hey, listen!" Navi shouted. "Don't attack them at once! Wait until the right time and then strike..."

"We got it!" Link and Ukyo yelled in unison.

----

Sheik stumbled back, her hand clasping the flesh wound on her left shoulder. Damn, this evil witch was more powerful than she thought.

But Veran was breathing hardly as well. 'Curses!' she thought. 'This pesky Sheikah is trained well... Maybe I have to use a different tactic...'

She wished she would already be able to use her possessing powers, but from what her master has told her, those would take some time to manifest themselves...

"I seriously don't understand why you are helping those fools," she huffed. "Ganondorf will be the ruler of the world, and all who resist him will be destroyed! If you surrender now, he might just spare your life. Think about it, it would be a waste to execute someone with your talent... We could always use an assassin with your skills!"

Sheik frowned underneath her cowl. "Are you suggesting that I should become a tool of evil? Never, you witch!"

'If she only knew who I really am...' she thought to herself.

"Fool..." Veran snarled. "You just sealed your own fate... BEGONE!"

And she jutted out her fingers, shooting dark lightning out of their tips.

But Sheik quickly jumped aside, whipped out her chain and wrapped it around a thick tree branch, using her momentum to swing around, and hit the surprised Veran with her outstretched foot... right in the middle of her stomach.

The dark sorceress had to concentrate hardly so the force of the Sheikah's attack wouldn't knock her floating form down to the ground. She coughed and wheezed as she clutched her midsection.

"You... just you wait, this isn't the last you have seen of me! One of these days, I'm gonna have my revenge, little Sheikah... and besides, your little act of courtesy didn't do anything: Your friends have doomed themselves as soon as they entered that temple. Nothing is going to save them now! OHOHOHOHOHOHOH..."

And with mad laughter, the Sorceress of Shadows vanished in a plume of darkness.

Sheik groaned as she slumped down on the ground. That battle had been tiresome...

But after she heard the evil woman's laughter, she couldn't help but wonder.

"I know that voice..." she murmured. "And that laugh... where have I heard it before...?"

----

Konatsu was still sitting within his cage. He was very worried. Right after he allowed Saria to escape, Phantom Ganon had shocked him with some magic lightning, to 'let off some steam', as he put it. Afterwards, he left the room in a hurry to catch the supposedly Sage of the Forest.

Konatsu winced when he remembered being hit with that blast. Luckily, his wooden body made him somewhat resistant against lightning-based attacks.

It still hurt like hell, though.

"Well, at least I didn't fall unconscious this time," the ninja murmured, recalling the last time when Veran blasted him with a similar spell.

Now how to get out of this place?

He closely inspected the padlock of his cage. "Doesn't look too remarkable," he said. "Ganondorf seems to save costs when providing his servants with equipment..."

On the other hand, he had to admit, Phantom Ganon and Veran were proficient magic users, so maybe they simply did not need too fancy equipment to get the job done. And any normal Deku would certainly have a hard time to break free from this cage.

But as we all know, Konatsu was no such Deku. He fell under the category of 'Deku Ninjas'.

Carefully extending one of his branch-like, thin fingers (which most Dekus normally kept retracted, to keep them from breaking) and slipped it into the small opening of the padlock.

"Let's see..." he murmured. "From the looks of this thing, unlocking it shouldn't take too much time... Hopefully enough to distract that Phantom and his men from Saria."

Finally, the padlock gave off a small 'click' and opened. Satisfied, Konatsu nodded and pulled his finger out of the padlock. He then opened the cage and jumped down to the floor.

As he ran out of the room, his shape became a blur that seemed to merge with the shadows and the vines that were covering the temple's walls.

"They took me by surprise once..." he grumbled. "They won't be able to do it again!"

----

Saria panted as she reached a strange, circular room. The color of the floor was alternating between red and blue. Strange wall-like protrusions were coming out of the room's wall itself, and there were several openings in the wall, several ons leading to small chambers, others just ending at a blank wall.

For a moment, she tried to understand the weird concept of this room, but she realized she had no time, Phantom Ganon already had to be on her trail.

She noticed a wooden structure in the middle of the room, looking almost like some sort of cabin.

Saria was no fool, unlike other Kokiri, she had always been interested to hear more about the world outside of the forest, and back when he had still been alive, the Deku Tree had told her much about the Hylians and their habit of constructing not only houses, but also weapons, tools and devices.

That's the reason why it didn't take long for her to figure out that this cabin had to be some sort of elevator... even if she could not see any ropes, wires or other contraptions that were supposed to make it work. But she could see a small shaft in the middle of the ceiling, of the exact same size as the cabin itself. Maybe it operated with magic?

"Only one way to find out," she muttered and was just going to step in.

But then, the door behind her flew open and a tall, armored figured entered the room. Phantom Ganon looked at her with a steely glaze.

"I suggest you surrender peacefully, so I don't have to harm you unnecessarily..."

"Is that supposed to be some sort of joke?" Saria frowned. "You are planning to kill me either way."

The Phantom smirked. "Good point! But believe me, there are many different ways to end a person's life. I can make your death quick and harmless, if you wish..."

He then narrowed his eyes. "But if you continue to anger me, you should know that I can also kill you in a slow, very painful way! It's your choice!"

"Thank you!" Saria said back. "But I don't plan to die today. Have a nice day!"

And she stepped towards the elevator.

----

One level above them, four shimmering, female figures were floating next to four torches with colorful flames.

"All right, girls, here they come!" Asuka sneered. "Remember what Lady Veran said: Take the flames and don't let them lay their hands on them!"

And when a surprised duo of green-clothed teenagers entered the room, followed by two small fairies, each Poe Sister snatched away the flame with a small, portable torch they were holding.

"I got it!" Mariko cheered as she took the blue flame. "Onox-sempai would be so proud of me!"

"What's going on here?" Ukyo asked in confusion. "What are you doing?"

Tsubasa grinned. "Watch closely, you dummies!" the undead cross-dresser said as he flew away with the green flame.

"You'll never make it down to the lower level... not until you catch us all!" Asuka laughed, taking the purple flame with her.

"Bye-bye!" Azusa waved and vanished through a wall... taking the pink flame with her.

"See that?" Navi gasped. "The elevator in the middle of the room won't work until we get those flames back to the torches!"

"Well, how are we supposed to do that?" Link asked in annoyance. "They just took off with them."

"Well, you heard what they said, right?" Tatl grinned. "Gotta catch 'em all!"

----

Saria nearly fell down on her face, when suddenly the elevator moved upwards. "Wh-what?"

Phantom Ganon laughed. "I see the Poes have done their job well! Now no one will be able to go up OR down that shaft. You're trapped, little girl!"

"B-but that means you are trapped in here as well!"

The Phantom laughed. "Oh, please! Don't you think I haven't thought of that? My master gave me the ability to create portals of darkness, taking me wherever I want to go."

That reminded Saria of something. "Only if you have been there before, right?"

"Maybe, but who cares? It's definitely enough to get out of these rooms... but I think I'll stay here for a while. The sacrifice of the sage still has to be done, and I also fear that those two heroes might be able to hunt down all of the Poe Sisters after all. Still, it buys me some time to complete me real trap for them!"

He reached out for her. "Now come here, you..."

"S-stay away from me..." Saria winced.

Suddenly, something hard hit Phantom Ganon at the back of his head. "Who dares...?"

He turned around, and to his surprise, he saw Konatsu clinging to the ceiling of the room.

"I won't let you lay your hands on my friends anymore!" the little ninja said with determination.

Phantom Ganon growled and raised his right hand. He gathered magical energy and created another ball of crackling electricity. "You still haven't had enough? I still have much more where that first blast came from!"

He threw his magical projectile at the Deku, but Konatsu used his agility to easily dodge it.

"Try hitting a moving ninja," he said. "I'm not trapped inside that cage anymore, you know?"

"Accursed little scrub..." the Phantom grumbled. "When I lay my hands on you..." He turned around and stretched out his hand. Using his magic, he closed the door, the only exit of the room. He then turned back to his two enemies and grinned. "Face it, you two are trapped in here like rats!"

"You think so?" Konatsu asked. He had seen Saria use her spell to escape the previous room, he hoped she could do it again. He looked down at her. "Hurry, I'll buy you some time!"

"B-but what about you?"

"Try to find Ukyo and Link! If they really are in here, you have to find them! Find a way to activate that elevator!"

"O-okay..." she stammered. "You can count on me!"

"Don't you dare!" Phantom Ganon shouted as he saw the green-haired girl lift her hands.

Saria looked at his face calmly. "I won't let you capture me again! Farore's Wind!"

Hearing the plea of her troubled Sage, Farore listened and gave Saria the power to escape the temple's basement.

When the green light that transported her away had faded, Phantom Ganon snarled angrily. "How did she do that? She has never used magic before in her life... How could she...?"

"You know what they say," Konatsu smirked. "The Temple is the Sage's second home... and her home is her castle! I figure you will have a hard time tracking her down in these walls."

"You insolent little Deku..." Phantom Ganon grumbled as he gathered more energy within his hands. "When I'm finished with you..."

"Try to hit me!" the ninja laughed and jumped away, just as the evil clone of Ganon threw his attack.


	12. Four Torches

"This must be the room," Link said as he opened the door.

He blinked in confusion when he saw the pink-dressed Poe that was hovering in a corner of the room, her back towards him. On a table in front of her, she had a little bottle.

"Little Jerome, do you like your new home?" she asked in a singing voice.

"Let me out of here!" a small voice pleaded.

Tatl hovered over Ukyo's head and let out a gasp. "That voice... is that... Tael?"

"Sis?" the purple-gleaming fairy muttered. And then, in an excited voice, he yelled: "SIS! It is you! You came to save me!"

Tatl smirked, although a tear of happiness appeared in the corner of her eye. Deciding to ignore it, she said: "Well, that's quite the pickle you're in, bro! How do you always manage to get into these situations? And heh, that pink bow sooo suits you!"

"Hey, cut that out already and get me out of here!"

"You there!" Ukyo said and pointed her spatula at the pink-dressed ghost. "You took one of the torches in the main hall, right?"

Azusa looked at them with a smile. "Oh, hello there! You wanna play with little Azusa too?"

"Um, no," Link said. "Actually, we're just here for the torch..."

"Ah, okay... fine, just take it!"

Ukyo cleared her ears. Did she just hear what she though she heard? "Beg your pardon?"

Azusa gestured at the torch who was attached to the wall. "Asuka told me this game would be fun, but I prefer to play with my cuties. Here, isn't my Jerome just the most adorable little guy?"

"That's my brother, you stupid dimwit!" Tatl hissed. "Now let him go!"

"Shouldn't you, I dunno, fight us or something like that?" Link asked uncertainly.

Azusa shrugged. "Maybe. But, see, I never really liked that Asuka. She's always so bossy... told me I was supposed to hide within that painting over there." She gestured at a black, empty painting that was hanging on the wall. "But I prefer to give my darling Jerome another bow..."

"I told you, my name is NOT Jerome!" the male fairy protested.

"Let him go, you stupid bimbo!" Tatl yelled and flitted around the Poe's head.

Navi groaned. "Can you let him out already? Tatl is giving me a headache with all her shouting."

Ukyo nodded. "Yeah, almost as bad as your constant 'Hey!', isn't it?"

"Yeah, true... HEY!" Navi said, feeling offended.

Azusa pouted. "Aww, do I really have to? He's my favorite plaything of them all..."

"Yes, please!" Link said.

Azusa sighed. "Fine, fine... the woods are full with cute woodland creatures anyway. Maybe Azusa will find something else to play with." She opened the bottle and Tael came shooting out of it, hiding behind his sister.

He shuddered. "Please... please make sure that something like this NEVER happens to me again..."

Tatl smirked. "Maybe you should take those bows out of your hair first."

Tael then looked at the two green-clothed teenagers in awe. ""Ukyo? Link? Wow, is that really you? You have grown!"

"Gee, we didn't notice," Ukyo murmured sarcastically.

"But you're Kokiri," Tael said in confusion. "So how...?"

"Let's talk about this after we found Saria," Link said. He picked up the bottle and looked at Azusa. "You mind if I keep this? Such bottles really come in handy on journeys like ours..."

"Sure, no problem!" Azusa smiled.

"And, would you, by any chance, know where those other ghosts have hidden their own torches?"

"Yeah, no big deal! See that door over there? Just go through the room behind it and you'll come into a room that looks just like this one. I think Mariko is in there."

"Thanks, you're a great help!" And Link meant it. He had never met a sweet and nice Poe like that before.

He looked at Ukyo. "Ready to go?"

"Um, sure... but shouldn't you take your hookshot with you?"

Link looked into his bag... and noticed that the tool in question was missing. He looked around and saw that Azusa was holding the hookshot, petting it affectionally. "And I'll call you 'Francoise', and I'll give you a nice new home and..."

Link sweat-dropped. "Um... may I have this back, please?"

"Awww..." Azusa whined cutely.

----

After Azusa gave him back the hookshot and promised not to take anything else from their possession, they entered the room she had been talking about.

"Only through that door over there, and we should find this 'Mariko'," Navi assumed.

Link watched the circular room carefully. "I dunno... after all the trouble we went through to reach the first room, don't you think this one isn't a bit too... easy? I mean, we had block-pushing puzzles, winged skulls, Skulltulas, hands that were dropping from the ceiling..."

"Aw, don't be such a worrywart," Ukyo said and stepped right into the middle of the room. "The only thing in here is a big pile of bones, nothing else..."

"WHOOOOOOOH BABY!!!" a loud voice suddenly yelled. "Those are the biggest hooters I've ever seen in my entire life and afterwards!"

"Shake this yummy body, girl!" another voice added. "Hubba hubba!"

Ukyo turned a deep shade of red. "Why, you perverts... where are you? Come out before I kick your butts!"

"Oooh, and she's a feisty one," the first voice shouted. "I hear those are pretty good in the sack!"

"Ukyo, look over there!" Tatl shouted.

Ukyo followed her fairy friend's gesture... and stared at the two human skulls that were wolf-whistling at her.

"What the... talking SKULLS?"

"Haven't you ever heard of the Stalfos before?" Tatl yelled. "Those are undead skeleton warriors!"

"That's right, baby!" the first Stalfos said as his body parts suddenly floated up from the ground to form a complete skeleton body. "And after spending such a long time beneath the ground, you'd be happy for ANY hot babe that is coming along!"

"Come on, let us play with you for a while!" the second Stalfos said after putting himself together.

Ukyo snarled. "Okay, that's it! Link, let's SMASH those things!"

A short battle later, all the pieces of the two pervert skeletons were strewn across the room.

"Oooooh, she loves me..." said one of the undead as his skull was rolling over the floor.

"SHUDDAP!" Ukyo yelled and smashed its skull with her spatula.

Tael shivered. "Wow, you can be scary when you're like that..."

"Let's get the heck out of here!" Ukyo grimaced. "And let's never talk of this ever again!"

"Wait a minute, Ukyo..." Link said. "Isn't that an old chest standing over there?"

"Maybe this is something the ancient Sages left behind after constructing these temples..." Navi assumed.

"Probably," Link said and opened the chest. He grinned and took out a nice-looking bow. "Hey, that's cool! A shooting weapon!"

Tatl snickered. "That's like a slingshot for the grown-ups. No wonder Link is excited..."

That was true. Link had never really liked the fact that his new, bigger hands were just too big for the tiny little slingshot. But now, he had found something even better.

"I can't wait to try this one out," he grinned as he left the chamber with his new bow.

Ukyo shook her head as she followed him. "Men..." she muttered.

----

"I don't believe those perverted Stalfos..." Ukyo muttered.

"Why are you so angry?" Link wondered. "You made sure those bindings of yours were very tight, right? They couldn't have seen THAT much..."

Ukyo winced. "You think I should happy about that? It's not like those bindings are comfortable or something..."

"But why are you worried about them?" Navi asked. "I mean, you didn't even have your breasts for a long time now..."

"Still a girl has to keep her pride," Ukyo insisted.

Tatl smirked. "A concept that Tael would never understand."

The violet fairy boy sighed. "Those snide comments... you don't know how I missed them, sis!"

"Can we keep going now?" Ukyo snapped. "I don't want to waste the whole day talking about my boobs or Tatl's snide comments."

And she opened the door.

"Well, are you finally here? I started to think you wouldn't be able to make it."

"And here we have she-ghost number two..." Tatl muttered as she saw the blonde Poe in the pale blue cheerleading uniform.

"That's an... interesting outfit," Navi commented.

"Isn't it?" the ghost smiled with pride. "I wash it every day."

"So, I don't suppose you can give us that torch just like that?" Link asked in a hopeful voice.

Mariko wagged her finger. "Now that would be too easy, would it? Veran would be disappointed if I just gave it to you. You have to EARN it!"

"How did all those creeps get into Ganondorf's service?" Ukyo sweatdropped.

"That's a tragic tale..." Mariko sniffed. "But if you have to know, I can tell you, I think..."

"No, that won't be necessary," Ukyo said hastily.

But the cheerleading ghost wouldn't listen. "Years ago, I was just one of the many handmaidens of Princess Kodachi... I was born in a common peasant's family, but my heart always longed to be near my beloved one... Kuno-sempai!"

Tatl groaned. "I already know it, this is going to be corny..."

The Poe sighed. "Ever since I saw his handsome face, I longed to be at his side, but alas, it couldn't be done! So I had to choose the next possible thing, and that was to work as a handmaiden in the princess' service... Still, I could see him every morning, when he and the other members of the guard were doing their morning routine training in the courtyard." She smiled. "I always have been standing on Princess Kodachi's balcony, while the princess herself was having breakfast with her family. My job was to keep the room clean... but in the end, I always ended up cheering my handsome Tatewaki and his men on with my lovely pom-poms..."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Pom-poms?"

"My mops, if you have to know!" Mariko grimaced. Then she sighed again. "Every day I was standing ready, cheering them on and hoping that one day, Kuno-sempai would finally notice me... But in the end, this turned out to be my downfall."

"What happened?" Navi asked. Ukyo gave the blue fairy an annoyed look. She wasn't supposed to be entertained by their enemy's story...

"One day, it had to happen," Mariko said in a melodramatic voice. "I slipped... and fell down. And when I regained consciousness... I woke up like this. And I had to work for two ugly crones that loved to boss me around..." She pouted.

"What a sad story..." Navi sniffed. Ukyo sighed. "Are you quite finished?"

"But that was not the end!" Mariko said in an excited voice. "Could you believe my joy when I found out that my beloved would be one of my new masters? True, I still had to serve the same mistress as before, but at least she doesn't seem to remember me..."

"What is she talking about?" Tatl whispered to her brother.

Tael shrugged. "Dunno."

"And now, I am here, to do my duty as a servant of the cunning Lady Veran and the powerful Lord Onox... and that is the reason why I shall never give this flame to you."

Mariko grabbed the torch, twirled it around like a baton and cheered:

"Gimme an M! Melodramatic!

Gimme an A! Acrobatic!

Gimme an R! Resolute!

Gimme an I! In love!" Another sigh.

"Gimme a K! Keese!"

"That doesn't make any sense..." Tatl murmured.

"Gimme an O! Oh so modest! What's the word?"

And then she threw the torch up into the air, caught it and chanted:

"MARIKO! MARIKO! MARIKO!"

Upon hearing a weird noise, Ukyo turned around her head... and saw how Link was banging his head against the temple wall.

"Why?" he asked. "Why? Why does ever monster I have to fight turn out to be a loony? Why?"

Ukyo frowned and looked back at the blonde ghost. "You are a dim-witted bimbo!"

"Like, that's so rude!" Mariko pouted. "How could you say such a thing?"

"Because it's true?" Ukyo shrugged. "You actually make that Azusa girl we met on our way here seem intelligent."

"You take that back!" Mariko shouted. "I'm not like that stupid little twit!"

"Ah, but you do know what they say about blondes, right?"

"What?"

Ukyo smirked. "All blondes are morons!"

"Hey!" Link said in annoyance.

"It's a scientifically proven fact," Ukyo said "Live with it!"

Mariko frowned. "You're mean! I'm not stupid and I'm gonna prove it to you!"

"Oh? How so?"

"I'll... I'll think of something. Hey, just ask me to do anything and I'll do it."

Ukyo smirked. "I bet you can't even do the normal things any Poe would be able to do."

"I can too! See? I can float and stuff!"

"You can't even float through walls!"

"I can too!"

"Oh yeah?" Ukyo reached into Link's bag and pulled out the bottle Azusa gave to him. "I bet you can't even get into this bottle!"

Mariko giggled. "Oh, that's all? You're making this too easy!"

And she turned her body into a blue flame and zipped right into the bottle.

"See?" her high-pitched voice shouted from within. "I told ya I can do it."

Ukyo smiled. "Now that's impressive... moron!" And she corked the bottle.

"H-hey! No fair!" Mariko banged her little fists against the glass. "Lemme out of here! We Poes can't fly through glass!"

"If you were so smart, you would have seen that trap a mile away... dimwit!" Ukyo sneered and put the bottle into her pocket. A muffled voice continued to shout insults at her coming from within.

"Just ignore her," Ukyo told her friends as she picked up the torch. She lighted the bigger torch that was standing in the corner of the room with the blue flame and nodded in satisfaction. "There! That should take care of the torch in the entrance hall as well."

"Ukyo..." Tatl muttered as she stared at her friend with new-found respect. "That was INGENIOUS!"

"Thank you!" Ukyo grinned. "Shall we go on?"

"I still don't think all blondes are morons..." Link muttered as he followed her.

----

After finding the second torch, our heroes continued to wander along the halls and corridors, routinely slashing and pounding any monster they came across. It was kinda boring, but they had nothing better to do until they found the next Poe.

And it finally gave Tael the chance to talk to his sister.

"Tatl, where have you been for all those years?" he asked. "And how could Ukyo and Link grow up like that? Saria and all the other Kokiri didn't change one bit."

"It's a long story, bro," Tatl sighed. "But to make it short, we found an old piece of ancient weaponry, Link is now the hero of time and we had to wait seven years until we could start our quest."

"You... couldn't even have come for a visit?" Tael asked.

Tatl shook her head. "Fraid not, little bro. And I would really like to know why Link changed like that, too. As for Ukyo, you remember how we found her in the forest that day, right?"

"Oh... you're right," Tael nodded. "She's not a Kokiri, she's a Hylian."

"Right," Tatl said. "Now... I'm curious about Link. Could it be that he too is a...?"

"Hey!" Tatl winced. That annoying voice could only belong to Navi. She turned around to face the blue fairy and asked: "What?"

Navi smiled and shrugged. "Nothing, I was just wondering what you two were talking about."

"Nothing we would share with a flying dictionary like you," Tatl grumbled.

Navi frowned. "That's not very nice, you know?"

"And why should I care?"

"Um, girls... can't we just all be nice to each other?" Tael asked.

"No!" the two females yelled at him.

"If you are done arguing, I think you should take a look at this," Ukyo shouted.

"Oh, what now?" Tatl grumbled and flew over to the Okonomiyaki chef.

Ukyo gestured at the big painting that was hanging above their heads. "You think this is supposed to be some sort of clue?" she asked.

Tatl looked up at the painting. Navi flew at her side. "That's the picture of another Poe," she said.

"Thank you, Miss Obvious, we couldn't have figured that out without your help!" Tatl groaned.

"Sheesh, I only want to help! What is it with you?"

"Nothing, you are just annoying!"

"Are all female fairies like this?" Link asked Tael in a hushed voice.

"I don't think so," Tael replied. "It's just that sis can be... cranky at times when she's irritated. Maybe she just needs a nice cup of Herbal Deku Tea to calm down..."

"Deku... that reminds me..." Ukyo scratched her head. "Do you know how Konatsu is faring after all those years? And more important, do you know where Saria is? We've been searching for her the whole time..."

Tael sighed and nodded. "Yes, I know where both of them are, but you won't like it..."

"WHERE?" Ukyo and Link shouted at once.

Tael winced. "No need to yell! Well, you know, there was this dark sorceress, Veran... she led the monsters that attacked the forest, she and this phantom..."

"Get to the point already," Link shouted. "Where is Saria?"

"I'm... I'm sorry, Link, but we... we got captured, all of us. I was being put into that bottle you got from the Poe girl, and Konatsu and Saria were brought to the temple's deepest chamber."

"Damn!" Ukyo grimaced. "That's exactly where we can't go yet."

"You said it," Link replied. "Not yet. But after we found the remaining two torches, we will go down there and save them."

"And now that we resolved that, can we finally get back to that painting?" Tatl asked impatiently.

"Right, sorry..." Link murmured and looked up at the picture. "You know, these eyes are creepy... almost as if it was alive."

"I don't know," Tael said. "I kinda like the style. I think it's a cute picture of a cute Poe."

"Why, thank you!" a mysterious voice suddenly spoke out of nowhere.

"What? Who's there?" Ukyo shouted in alarm.

"The painting!" Link shouted, took his bow, drew an arrow and fired it at the picture.

"Ouch!" a high voice shouted, and then the painting flipper over, revealing yet another Poe in a pink dress. "That hurt!"

"What is it with your pink dresses?" Tatl wondered. "Is that color all the rage with you Poes now?"

The Poe pouted. "Don't you like it?"

Ukyo stepped forth and grabbed her spatula. "Let's keep this short, okay? Just give us your torch and we'll be on our way!"

Tsubasa smirked. "I think it's not going to be that easy. You have to play by the rules if you want that torch."

"You wanna fight?" Link asked and drew his blade.

Tsubasa wagged his finger. "Now that is just rude! Why does everyone have to resort to violence all the time? Let's make this... a little game!"

Ukyo blinked. "A game?"

----

Saria panted as she ran through the corridor. That falling ceiling had nearly squashed her flat. And then those Skulltulas...

"How big is this temple?" she wondered. "I just wanna find Link and Ukyo..." She had tried teleporting around the temple various times, but always found herself in another, unknown room, with no sign of her friends anywhere.

She groaned, and leaned against a wall. "Maybe I should just take a break..."

She closed her eyes for a while and just waited. Then she opened her eyes again.

And saw the ugly thing that was dropping down on her from the ceiling.

"YAAAAAHHH!" she screamed and jumped away in time. The giant, hideous hand that came down from above landed directly next to her, missing her barely. Then it crawled around on its fingers like some disgusting crab.

"Eeeewwwww!" Saria shrieked and gave the Wallmaster a firm kick that sent it flying. She then quickly opened the next door and ran away.

"What is it with all those disgusting creatures?" she whined. "If only I could just go home..."

She ran through the corridor, opened yet another door... and looked at her friends Link and Ukyo.

She could also see their fairy friends, including Tael... and a floating Poe in a pink dress.

She blinked. "Link? Ukyo?" Why were they so tall?

Link gasped when he heard her voice. "S-saria?"

Tsubasa smirked. "Ah, a volunteer! Welcome to tonight's game show, my dear! You will help me with taking care of my special guests."

"What are you talking about?" Saria muttered.

Tsubasa grinned, hit the wall behind him, and then, colorful boxes came dropping from the ceiling. One of them dropped down directly on Saria, trapping her inside.

"Gah!" she gasped. "What is this?" She tried using Farore's Wind to teleport out of the box, but found that she couldn't.

"Those boxes are magically protected against all kinds of magic, weapons or explosives," Tsubasa smirked. "Now watch closely. Do you remember where the Kokiri girl was in just now? Because now we are going to... SHUFFLE!"

And just as he said, the various boxes shuffled around, making it hard to keep track of the single one Saria was trapped in.

When the boxes finally stopped, Tsubasa giggled... and disappeared.

"Now choose a box," his voice echoed from somewhere. "If you find me, the torch will be yours. Find the girl, and she will be saved. But be warned, you only have one minute until her box disappears. Time starts running... right NOW!"

"Hey!" Link protested. "That's not fair!"

"Still we have no choice but to play along," Ukyo grimaced. "You know what he said about Saria's box disappearing... we have to find her before that."

"Easier said than done..." Link murmured. He approached one of the multi-colored boxes, hesitated for a second... then opened its lid.

He gasped in surprise when suddenly, a madly cackling skull with wings came jumping out of the box at him. He winced, grabbed the Master Sword and sliced the Bubble in two.

"Oh, did I forget to mention?" Tsubasa snickered. "There are several... surprises hidden within the other boxes, so you should be careful which one you'll open."

"Well, that's just great..." Ukyo sighed.

"Link!" Saria yelled as she knocked against the closed lid of the box she was trapped in.

"Saria!" Link shouted as he ran from box to box. "I'll get you out of there, just a minute!"

"What's taking you so long, Link?" Ukyo shouted. "Just open all of the goddamn boxes!"

"It's not that easy," Navi explained. "Who knows what kind of traps that Poe had installed in them?"

In that moment, Link had to dodge a ghastly Floormaster that suddenly reached out of an opened box.

"Indeed," Tsubasa grinned. "Just take your time, hero... you don't want to make a decision that brings you all in danger, do you?"

"Shut up, you coward!" Ukyo yelled and waved her spatula up to the pink-clad spirit, who was floating underneath the ceiling, where he was safe. "Aw, heck, I'm getting sick of this!"

She marcher over to one of the three remaining boxes and opened the lid.

She peered inside... it was empty. She blinked. "Huh? What the..."

Suddenly a sharp click caught her attention. "Hey, what was that?"

"Ukyo!" Tatl gasped as she looked up. "The ceiling..."

"It's coming down..." Tael whimpered. "We're done for!"

"Oh, that's just great!" Tatl sighed. "Only a Poe could have thought of such a plan..."

"Ingenious, isn't it?" Tsubasa grinned. "As I am incorporeal, the descending ceiling won't hurt me... I will just pass right through it. But as for you... I'm afraid you won't have the same advantage... You'll be squashed like pancakes!"

"Link, do something!" Ukyo screamed. "I hate pancakes!"

The Hero of Time nervously looked back and forth between the two remaining boxes. Which one should he choose? He looked up to the ceiling... he had only 30 seconds left, at the most!

"Link!" Saria shouted. "Please... I know you can do it! Make your choice, I trust you!"

Link furrowed his brows. "All right then..." he murmured. "Here goes nothing..."

And with a loud yell, he ran over to the nearest box... ran past it and opened the lid of the box that was in the farthest corner of the room.

Saria gasped when suddenly, Link's concerned face appeared above her.

Ukyo winced when the ceiling stopped just above her head. Slowly, it rose back again, where it belonged.

"Aw, poo!" The ghost pouted. "No fair winning!"

"That was a dirty trick!" Ukyo snapped.

Tsubasa shrugged. "Hey, I'm just doing my job..."

"Say, if Saria is so important to you guys, why were you willing to sacrifice her at all?" Tatl suddenly asked.

The Poe grinned. "I didn't! A hidden spell that has been put on her box would have transported her directly to the inner sanctum, where my mistress would have awaited her."

"You dirty little..." the blonde fairy grumbled.

"Now calm down, sis, think of your blood pressure..."

Link helped Saria climbing out of the box. Then the two friends stood in front of each other.

Saria smiled as she looked up at his handsome face. "You're a bit bigger than I remember..."

Link chuckled. "Yeah, well... It is strange to look down at you. But you still look the same..."

"Ah, how corny can you get?" Tsubasa muttered. "You don't mind if I retch?"

Link shot him a dark glare. "The game's over, Poe! Saria is free and your torch is ours." He gestured at the final box. "If you don't mind, I'll just take it..."

"No!" Tsubasa screamed as he dove for the chest in the same instance as Link approached it. "Lady Veran will punish me..."

He turned invisible and dove right through the box's wall... and Link simply slashed out with his sword, which cut right through the box.

With a loud clatter, the two halves of the box fell apart... and the torch was standing in front of them, attached to a small post.

Tsubasa was crouching on the ground... and his dress had been ripped by Link's sword.

Ukyo, Link, Saria and the fairies looked at him in surprise.

"What are you staring at?" Tsubasa asked in a voice that was clearly masculine. "Never seen a boy ghost before?"

"You are... a guy?" Ukyo muttered in surprise.

Tsubasa grimaced. "I never said I wasn't!"

Navi blinked. "But... but your voice... it sounded just like a girl's!"

"Well, I AM the master of disguise..."

Ukyo sighed. "Whatever... Link, just finish this freak already and let's get out of here!"

Link looked at the cowering, crossdressing Poe... and sheathed his sword.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Tsubasa muttered.

"I have won, Saria is safe and the torch is ours. So why should I kill you? If you promise never to show your face in my presence again, you can leave!"

"Just like that?" Tsubasa asked. "What kind of monster slayer are you?"

"I'm not a monster slayer," Link replied. "I am the Hero of Time! I didn't kill the other two ghosts either."

"I'm still not happy with what you did," a muffled voice came out of his pocket.

Tsubasa closed his eyes and chuckled. "Elder Cologne really was right..." he mumbled. "No living being will ever be able to predict how a person's heart is working..."

And he simply vanished through the floor.

Ukyo sighed. "Well, good riddance..." She walked over the torch and took it from its post. The green flame from the torch disappeared and reappeared on the torch standing next to the door.

"Well, only one missing!" Tatl noted.

"LINK!!"

Ukyo turned around in surprise and saw how Saria was clinging to Link's legs.

The green-haired girl sobbed. "I have been waiting for you... for so many years, I have waited. The other Kokiri all said you would never come back... but I always believed in you! I knew you'd come back one day! And now, here you are..." She sniffed. "And I can't even look into your eyes without looking up..."

Link knelt down and gave her a gentle hug. "I... I am sorry, Saria," he whispered. "I never planned to stay away for such a long time... And these seven years... they felt just like a second to me. Just because I touched that... that sword... Ganondorf was able to touch the Triforce... Hyrule is in ruins... and I couldn't be here when you were attacked!"

He closed his eyes. "Forgive me, Saria..."

A sudden bolt of black lightning appeared on the other side of the room and startled them.

A pale-faced woman with black robes appeared inside the lightning. "Well, isn't this scene touching?" she sneered. "The Hero of Time and the Sage of the Forest... so close, and yet doomed to live without the other. A Hylian who never knew of his heritage... and a Kokiri who will never leave this temple again!"

Link gasped. "A... a Hylian? Me?"

"Of course we are Hylians!" Ukyo shouted. "I knew my father brought me into the forest when I was a kid, something similar must have happened to you. Or why do you think you are grown up after seven years?"

"Who's that ugly witch anyway?" Tatl frowned.

"Mind your mouth, you pesky little bug!" Veran snapped. "I am Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, and servant of the Great Ganondorf!"

"So, you are the boss of those Poes?" Link asked. "Heh... maybe you should have looked for better personnel. We already got three of the four torches."

Veran shrugged. "That was just a delay to keep you busy until the Phantom is finished with his preparations for the ritual... as long as they are complete when you reach the lower floor, all is well."

"Ritual?" Ukyo asked. "What ritual?"

Veran grinned. "The sacrifice... of the Forest Sage!"

"Saria!" Link understood and stepped in front of his childhood friend. "I won't let you have her!"

"Don't bother, 'hero', we already have this temple under our control," the sorceress grinned and snapped her fingers. A shadow suddenly appeared above Saria and she never had the chance to even gasp when the Wallmaster came dropping down from the ceiling, pulling her upwards and dropping her into the arms of its dark mistress.

"Let her go, you witch!"

Veran laughed. "While we are speaking, my lord's servants are spreading all over Hyrule, contaminating all of the temples in Ganondorf's name... and as soon as the Sages and the Hero of Time are dead, even the Temple of Light will fall... and the remaining pieces of the Triforce will reveal themselves!"

In another black bolt of magical lightning, the sorceress and her prey vanished.

"Dammit!" Link threw his shield to the floor in anger. "I lost her again..."

"We won't let that bitch..."

"SIS!!"

Tatl grimaced. "That witch get away with it! After all, we know where she has taken her."

"Yeah," Ukyo nodded. "All we need is the remaining torch, and we'll be able to reach the lower level."

"But... but what if we won't make it in time..." Link gritted his teeth.

"We certainly won't make it if you don't stop moping and hurry up! We have a Poe to find!"

Link took a deep breath. "You're right, Ukyo..." he muttered. "Saria... I won't let you down again! I will save you!"

He picked up his shield and ran ahead of his friends. Ukyo followed, and the three fairies flew above them.

It was time to free the Forest Temple from all evil... once and for all!

----

With a grunt, the tall, muscular man put down the wooden crates next to the door.

"There you go, Mrs. Tendo, the milk you ordered, and Malon gives you her regards."

Impa nodded. "Thanks, Taro! Good to see that the Lonlon Ranch finally delivers again. That Ingo never delivered any milk anywhere."

Taro laughed. "That's true, he could never take care of the ranch such as Malon and her father can. By the way, Malon remembers that a few years ago, a young Sheikah child was visiting her ranch... it couldn't possibly one of your daughters?"

Impa smiled. "That must have been Akane."

"I thought so. Well, then tell Akane that Malon would like to meet her again some time."

"Will do, Taro! And thank you for delivering the milk! You really must be a big help for Malon."

"Hey, I'm just doing my job!" he said bashfully. "Well then, until next time!" And he turned around to leave.

"I hope he'll be okay," Kasumi said in a worried tone of voice as she stepped out of the house and next to her mother. "The plains are filled with evil spirits and monsters these days..."

"I'm sure he'll be fine!" Impa said. "He's a headstrong young man with a good amount of muscles to tough it out. Where's Akane?"

"Oh, I think she and Nabiki went to see if the ghosts at the graveyard are still restless."

"Well, I know they can take care of a few Poes... it was I who trained them in our ways, after all. I just hope the reports of that 'peeping spirit' are just rumors..."

"Mother, I meant to ask you something..."

Impa looked at her oldest daughter. "What is it, dear?"

"Well, I am kind of worried... it has been a long time since..." She lowered her voice. "You-know-who has left for the forest."

Impa frowned. She then waved Kasumi inside and closed the door. "It HAS been some time since we heard of Sheik..." she admitted.

"Shouldn't... shouldn't we go and see if she's all right?"

But the Sheikah matron shook her head. "No, Kasumi! She has chosen to take this path, and she chose to take it alone. We can support her and give her a place to stay every time she returns to Kakariko, but I won't go against the wishes of the prin... of Sheik! I won't say I'm not worried, but she gave us the task to care for the villagers, and that's an important job, too."

"You are right, mother," Kasumi sighed. "Oh my, I just hope she'll be back for dinner... I wanted to make some cookies."

Her mother smirked. "So that's why you needed that much milk?"

----

A lone figure was sitting atop a spire that was jutting out of the flowing river.

Sheik was deep in thought. "Kodachi..." she murmured. "After all those years... and I thought you have been killed in the assault on the castle..." She grimaced underneath her mask. "But... this fate... why? Why did she choose to be one of Ganondorf's pawns? Where did she get those powers from? And her skin... Whatever did they do to you, Kodachi?"

She knew she had more important things to do than just sitting around here and brood, but everyone who has been worried for a sibling once knew how she felt at this moment.

She didn't even notice when a lone swimmer was approaching the rock she was sitting on. She only got pulled out of her brooding when a clear voice called up to her: "Hey! You'll catch a cold if you keep sitting up there!"

Sheik was surprised, but as she was trained in the ways of the Sheikah, she hid it well. She looked down and saw a Zora girl swimming down there, in the water. No... make that a young woman.

"I'm not too cold," she insisted. "These clothes keep me pretty warm." But just then, she had to sneeze.

The Zora smirked up at her. "Yeah, I can see that! I mean, even the water is much colder than it used to be. It's strange, though... It has never been this cold around here before, not in spring, at least..."

Sheik sniffed. She was occupied with her worries, so she hadn't really noticed... but the Zora girl was right, it was pretty cold.

She jumped down and landed next to the river's edge. "I suppose I should do some training to warm up again..."

Ruto had witnessed the stranger's acrobatic leap with awe. "Wow, you are pretty limber... Say, aren't you a Sheikah? I met a girl once who wore similar clothes..."

Surprised, Sheik turned around and nodded. "That's right! My name is Sheik."

"I am Ruto! But say, can't we talk somewhere where it's warmer? Zora's Domain is close by... My Mom makes some nice tea, so why don't you come along and stay for a while?"

Sheik thought about that. She still was searching for clues on the other Sages' identities... but the thought of a warm cup of tea was very tempting, so...

"I guess I have some time..."

Ruto smiled. "Great! Come on, it's this way!"

Sheik followed the elegant Zora girl as she swam upstream. A chilly breeze blew through the river's valley and made her sneeze again.

"It's so cold here..." she murmured. "I wonder..."

----

Ranma wiped his brows. "Man..." he groaned. "It's so hot in here! I seriously wonder how you Gorons put up with it..."

Ryoga, who didn't seem to be bothered with the searing heat at all, just shrugged. "I think we're just used to it..."

Ranma frowned. "Oh, and it's not because of your thick skin?"

"Oh yeah, that too..."

Ranma sighed and looked up at the entrance in front of them. It was a stone building, embedded in the rock walls of Death Crater, surrounded by the volcano's lava. It was incredibly hot in here, and the gases that rose up from the bottom of the crater were making it hard to breathe. A normal Hylian would have never been able to withstand such circumstances...

But years of training with his father had turned Ranma into a man who was able to endure the utmost conditions, the freezing chill of the coldest winter, the thin air of the highest peaks and the searing heat of the hottest volcano in all of Hyrule: Death Mountain.

He knew his Zora form wasn't as resistant against temperatures like he usually was. So he was glad that it was practically impossible to get splashed with cold water in here... The high temperatures in here would instantly vaporize any cool liquids brought in here.

Ranma suddenly realized how thirsty he was and groaned. "Okay, let's get this over with, I want to get out of here as fast as I can..."

Ryoga looked at him grimly. "We won't leave until every single one of my people has been freed... including sensei! You got that?"

"Yeah, okay, okay... Sheesh man, chill out..."

"We're in the middle of a volcano, Ranma, so don't you tell me to 'chill out'! If we don't hurry, that monster is going to kill everyone, don't you see?"

"Yeah, okay, sorry 'bout that..." Ranma murmured. He really didn't mean it like that...

A roar coming from the inside of the temple made both of them jerk around in surprise.

"Whoah, wh-what was that?" Ranma stuttered in surprise.

Ryoga grimaced. "What do you think, you moron? It was the creature Ganondorf rose from the dead... Volvagia!"

He started running at the temple entrance. "Come on, we have to hurry!"

Ranma followed his friend and rival, but just as they were going to enter the temple, something came flying down in front of them and blocked their way.

"I'm afraid I can't let you pass," a raspy voice said. "Lord Ganondorf doesn't like it when anyone interferes with his plans."

Ranma snarled when he recognized the wrinkled hag that was sitting on top of her broomstick. The red jewel in the middle of her turban was gleaming in the red glow of the searing magma below them...

"You..."

Elder Koume smirked down at the pig-tailed warrior. "Long time no see, boy! I certainly didn't expect to meet you here. I've been wondering... when was the last time you have been visiting your fishy family? Well, I can say for sure that they'll give you the 'cold shoulder' next time you see them. Bwahahahahahahah!"

"Stop speaking nonsense, granny!" Ryoga grumbled. "And get out of our way! We're here to save my people!"

"I'm afraid your people are going to be Volvagia's lunch today, boy! That'll show everyone what happens to those that oppose the mighty Ganondorf!"

"I will save them!" Ryoga yelled.

Koume grinned. "You'll have to get past me first!"

"No problem!" Ranma grinned right back at her. "Right, Ryoga?"

"Poor unfortunate soul..." the witch cackled. "But let me tell you something about Jusenkyo first, children."

Ranma frowned. Why did the old hag bring that up now? What was she up to?

Koume muttered something and aimed her wrinkly, left palm at Ranma. "You see, for those who are gifted with the dark powers our Lord Ganondorf bestows upon them, it is no big feat to manipulate all kinds of magic. May it be fairy magic or... the curses of Jusenkyo!"

And then a tiny spark of dark magic came flying from her palm and hit Ranma right in the chest.

Ranma gasped when he felt the change that he was so familiar with now... and as he looked down, he could see that he was changing back into Ranko. Without being in contact with cold water.

"Wh-what..." she uttered. "N-no... not now..."

The searing heat of Death Mountain was too much for the young Zora. Her blue skin was drying out at an alarming rate, and she collapsed under the immense temperatures.

"Ranma!" Ryoga shouted in alarm. "You... you witch!" He angrily snarled at the Gerudo.

Kouma laughed with glee. "I wouldn't let her lie around like this, you know? If she stays here, it will be an unpleasant experience... you know that Zoras die when they are exposed to certain temperatures, right?"

Ryoga looked past the Gerudo witch into the temple, where he had heard the undead dragon's roar, and where he knew that his people were waiting for him. He knew he could save them, he just had to get past that witch...

But... what would happen to Ranko? He looked down at the gasping form of the Zora princess and realized he didn't feel any grudge towards her. And he knew she would die in here if he didn't do anything quickly.

"I'll be back," he swore as he scooped up the unconscious girl with his powerful arms. "Just you wait!" And with mighty leaps, he left the witch behind.

Koume could have attacked them from behind. But she let them leave for now. She doubted that they would return. The spell she put on Ranma was easily broken as soon as he changed forms again, but she knew she could cast it again and again, every time he would come back. And she doubted that Ryoga would be a threat for her if he came all by himself... or even for the undead beast!

----

Sheik sneezed. "Excuse me..." she mumbled.

Queen Nodoka smiled. "That's okay! We rarely get any visitors these days, especially not so well-spoken, polite young men like yourself."

Despite the cold, Zelda started to sweat underneath her costume. 'Hopefully they won't recognize me,' she thought. 'Ganondorf's eyes and ears are everywhere... I can't allow him to find me.'

But at least the Zoras believed her to be a boy. That calmed her down a bit.

"Tell us where you came from, boy," King Zora gurgled. "I always thought all Sheikah were extinct, ever since Ganondorf attacked the kingdom and killed the king."

"Well, that's not completely true," Sheik said. "A few of us are staying in hiding..."

"Ah, and you can't tell us where they are because Ganon's myrmidons might find you," King Zora nodded, misinterpreting the youngster's nervousness. "I see. But at least make yourself at home within Zora's Domain. I can say with pride that Ganondorf hasn't managed to conquer our kingdom just yet."

"That's because he never made any attempt to attack us, dear!" Nodoka smiled at her husband. "Both you and I know that our best fighters wouldn't stand a chance against his army of Gerudo and undead."

The king coughed. "Um, well..."

Noticing that this matter made the king of the fish-folk uncomfortable, Sheik quickly changed the subject: "I thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness, but I have been wondering... it is somewhat unusual for Zora's River to be this cold at this time of the year, isn't it?"

The queen sighed. "That's too true! It started just a few days ago, shortly after my... my oldest daughter left for a journey around Hyrule. All of a sudden, the weather changed and the air around Zora's Domain started to get more and more chilly. Even the warm waters of our spring don't warm up any more."

"That's true," Princess Ruto nodded. "Even our protector, the great Lord Jabu-Jabu, has gone into hibernation. Something like that never happened before! I am afraid that something horrible is going on..."

"My child, we don't even know the reason for this phenomenon," her father protested. "Maybe winter just decided to come a bit early this year..."

"Father, I am no fool! I can't believe that this cold snap is of natural origin. You know what happened to the water of Lake Hylia, right?"

Now Sheik was alarmed. "Why? What is wrong with the lake?"

"The water level of the lake..." Ruto said in a worried tone of voice as she faced the young Sheikah. "It's dropping by the hour. I noticed it this morning, when I went for my morning swim... since the waters of the spring were still way to chilly. The island in the middle of the lake looks like a hill more than ever."

Sheik tried not to make the panic she was feeling obvious. She knew pretty well what was hidden within the depths of Lake Hylia. "Can you... can you show me? I'd like to see this for myself..."

Ruto looked at her parents in surprise, then she shrugged. "Sure, why not? You have nothing against it, right, mother?"

"No, of course not!" Nodoka shook her head. "You can always take the magic warp in the middle of our cavern pond... it leads directly to Lake Hylia."

"Great! C'mon Sheik, let's go!"

Nodoka smiled as she saw the eagerness of her spunky daughter. She was always cheering up when she was with people of her own age, which didn't treat her like royalty all the time, and as she noticed earlier, this Sheik certainly seemed to be a polite young man.

She watched how her daughter was leading the Sheikah to the pond. "You can swim, can you?"

"Um... of course I can!"

"Great, then hold your breath..."

And the two youngsters dove into the pond and vanished through the underwater portal.

She sighed. "Aaah, to be young again..."

"You still look like a young woman, my dear!" King Zora told his wife with a smile.

Nodoka giggled and turned a deeper shade of blue. "Aw, you flatterer..."

She then sneezed and shivered. "Oh no, is it getting colder?"

"Let's hope not," the king said with a frown.

"YOUR HIGHNESS! YOUR HIGHNESS!" One of the Zora guards came running into the throne room.

"Calm down boy, now what is the matter?" the king asked.

The guard panted. "Your Highness... something terrible happened! The spring... Zora's Spring..."

"What's wrong with the spring?" Nodoka asked. She had a bad feeling about this...

"My Queen... it's frozen solid! Completely frozen! All of it!"

King and queen both gasped in shock. "But... but what about Lord Jabu-Jabu..." muttered the king weakly.

"He has vanished underneath the thick ice, my king!" the Zora explained. "Your Highness, I don't know what we should do... the ice is spreading and it's getting colder by the minute... if this keeps up, we'll..."

"AAAAAAAHHH!" the king suddenly screamed.

"Honey!" Nodoka said in alarm. "What's wrong?"

The king winced. "My... my feet..."

Nodoka gasped when she looked down at the water that was flowing around her husband's resting place. It was coming from the spring... and just like the guard had said, it was spreading.

By now, King Zora's feet and lower torso were already encased with ice.

And it was coming their way...

"Husband!" she shouted. "Stand up! Or the ice will..."

"I... I can't do it, love..." the king murmured. His voice was getting more and more panicked. "I'M STUCK!!"

Then the ice reached the feet of Nodoka and the guard. The moment she felt the bite of coldness touch her legs, shee tried to run, but she was frozen to the spot right away. The guard next to her seemed to have similar problems.

"My Queen!" he shouted. "Oh no, what... what's happening?"

And then they could hear loud yells coming from the main cavern:

"THE WATERFALL! THE WATERFALL IS FREEZING!"

Nodoka stopped struggling against the ice that slowly started to encase her whole body... and sent a quick prayer up to heaven, where she hoped that Nayru would listen to her...

----

"Well, this is it!" Ruto said when she and Sheik stepped out of the water. "Lake Hylia... or what's left of it!"

Sheik stared at the tiny puddle of water which Lake Hylia had become. It was still more water than would fit into the royal fountain back in Hyrule Castle, but according to Ruto's words, that wouldn't last.

She looked over to where the island was rising out of the water, by now a steep hill. In the middle of the waters, she could make out what she hoped would never be visible from the dry land surrounding the lake.

"The Water Temple..." she muttered. "They are uncovering the Water Temple..."

Ruto stared at her in surprise. "You know about the Water Temple? But... but that's supposed to be a secret that only the Zora and the royal family of Hyrule should know about."

Sheik cleared her throat. "Well, I, um..."

"Ah, I get it!" Ruto then said. "As the protectors of the royal family, you Sheikah must know about that as well... sorry, I forgot that for a moment."

"Um, that's okay!" Sheik said. "But whoever could be responsible for that?"

"Ganondorf?" Ruto asked with fear in her voice.

Sheik contemplated that, but quickly shook her head. If it was Ganondorf, she would be able to feel the evil energies of his magic. "No, this is the work of some other creature... but, to do such a thing, this creature must be within..."

Ruto gasped. "Within the Water Temple! Oh no, if that is true, then..."

"We must tell your parents, princess!" Sheik said in a strained voice. "Quickly!"

"Y-yeah, you're right!" Ruto nodded. "Come, we must go back through the portal..."

But when they reached the portal, the water level has already dropped beneath the opening. And the opening itself...

"Wh-wh-what?" the Zora princess stuttered as she pushed against the solid obstacle that was in their way. "It's... it's frozen solid... how could that be...?"

"I should have known!" Sheik grumbled. "I've been a fool... the cold that your kingdom suffered from was unnatural, of course! And it was caused by the very same creature which caused the water level of the lake to drop. And now, Zora's Domain is completely..."

"NO!!" Ruto screamed as she hit the frozen entrance to her home with her fists. "No, that can't be true! Mom! Dad!"

Sheik closed her eyes. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

And when Ruto broke down with sobs, all she could do was to reassuringly put an arm around her.

Suddenly, she sobbing stopped. "Sheik..." Ruto said in a quiet voice.

"Y-yes?"

Ruto turned around her head. Her face was still stained with tears, but her eyes were looking at the Sheikah with resolution. "I'm going to go into the Water Temple... I'm going to find out just who is responsible for this!"

"But princess..." Sheik protested. "Just think about it... it's going to be dangerous! Too dangerous for you to go by yourself!"

"I know!" Suddenly, the princess looked very sad. "But as everyone else is trapped within the ice, I... I just have to do it, you see? Besides... there's something I'd like to ask of you. Could you do me a favor?"

"What favor?" Sheik asked.

Ruto looked at her pleadingly. "Could you... could you go back and see if really all Zoras are trapped? I know it's a long way from here to Zora River on foot, but still... And if you happen to come across my older sister Ranko, please... please tell her what happened... and where I am. I'm sure she will... she will come to help me when she hears that." She smiled. "She always comes when I'm in trouble... I know she will do it again."

Seeing that nothing she said would make the princess' determination crumble, Sheik nodded. "I promise! I swear it with my life that I will tell her as soon as I see her."

'That's not the only person I will tell...' Sheik thought. 'If the Water Temple is in danger... the Water Sage will be as well, whoever it is. Link and Ukyo... they must learn about what is happening here.'

"Thank you! Thank you for everything, Sheik!" Ruto said as she slowly stepped into the deeper water. "And if we don't see each other again... I hope that you'll find more of your people! Good luck!" And she dove into the water.

"Good luck..." Sheik murmured. "Princess of the Zora!" She sighed. "Being a princess means that you have to make difficult decisions sometimes... I know that all too well! Let's just hope that your own kingdom still can be saved... I failed to save mine!"

And with these words, Sheik pulled out a Deku Nut, threw it to the ground...

And vanished in a bright flash.

----

Deep within Zora's Domain, the remaining Zoras which had tried to escape the freezing cold were trapped just in front of the cavern's exit. They shuddered as the ice slowly covered all of their bodies.

"It's... it's so cold..." a young girl muttered just as the ice crept up her legs.

Within the throne room, the two forms of King Zora and Queen Nodoka were completely covered with a thick coating of cursed, red ice.

----

"It's so... hot..." the Zora princess groaned while strong arms were carrying her through the crater of Death Mountain.

"Now hang on there, Ranma!" Ryoga shouted. "Just a couple more steps, and we're back in Goron City! Don't you give up on me now! I know you're stronger than that! Don't you dare and die when we still have a score to settle!"

He winced. 'If he only knew...' he thought. 'If Ranma only knew what sacrifice I'm making... if he only knew what it was like to lose your entire race to... a megalomaniac madman!'

Ranko panted heavily while her bodily fluids were slowly pouring out of her skin and evaporated in the searing heat of the volcano.

"Mom..." she muttered in a feverish voice. "Sis..."

----

Ukyo sneezed.

"Um, bless you!" Tael said.

Ukyo wiped her nose. "Thanks..." she muttered. She then shook the water out of her green tunic. "Damn, Link, did we really have to swim through that tunnel beneath the well?"

"It's the shortest way back to the main chamber," Link explained. "And you know we need to hurry... Saria is in danger!"

"Link, I hate to say it, but that final Poe could be ANYWHERE in this stupid temple."

"We looked everywhere..." Navi said in a sad voice. "The only explanation I have is that she's toying with us, leading us around in circles while she's waiting directly in the middle of the temple, the only room we haven't been in for some time."

"And how do you know that we completely explored every single part of the temple?"

Link held up and old piece of parchment. "We found the dungeon map, remember? It it clearly says that the only rooms we haven't been in yet are the rooms of the lower level... and we need the final torch to enter it."

"All right, all right, I got it!" Ukyo grumbled. "I still don't know why you all believe that those maps are trustworthy..."

"Dungeon Maps are always trustworthy!" Tatl said in a surprised voice. "Don't you know that the Goddess Nayru herself helps any travelers that are lost in such dungeons by sending them chests with magical items? That's how we got the Map, the Compass and the..."

"And the bow..." Ukyo sighed. "So that's how all of those chests appeared out of nowhere, okay, I think I got it. But what about the keys?"

"I take it Ganondorf sealed certain doors by himself," Navi spoke up. "We can only open them by using the keys his servants are protecting with their lives."

Ukyo frowned and pulled out the huge key they found in an upside-down chamber, where its treasure chest was hanging from the ceiling. They had to defeat the Wall Master guardian and activate a special mechanism so the room turned right side up, and they could claim the chests content, the key.

"And what about this one?" she asked.

Navi shrugged. "I have no idea... but from his looks, I'd say he's very important."

"What are you doing back there?" Link shouted from ahead. "Hurry up already, we don't have all day! Saria's waiting!"

"R-right, we're coming!" Ukyo shouted. "Sorry about this..."

She couldn't help but notice how strained Link's voice had been ever since Veran had re-captured Saria. Of course she was worried about her friend's safety as well, but... there was something else. A certain flash that has appeared in Link's eyes ever since he had met Saria again.

"Link..." she murmured to herself so that her friend couldn't hear her. "I hope you won't let yourself be fooled by your feelings..."

----

Just a few minutes later, they were back in the Forest Temple's main hall.

Ukyo looked around. "Nobody here!"

Link drew his blade. "I know she's here..." he murmured. "She's hiding... COME OUT, YOU COWARDLY GHOST!" he suddenly yelled. "I know you're here!"

Ukyo and the fairies covered their ears and winced from Link's sudden outburst. Ukyo was a bit shocked... never before has she seen her friend like this!

A purple-clad, female Poe came floating out of the ground. "No need to yell!" she said and rubbed her ears. "I may be dead, but I still can hear perfectly fine, you know?"

Link aimed the Master Sword at her. "Where's Saria?"

"Who? Oh, that Kokiri girl!" Asuka smirked. "I'm sure Lady Veran and the phantom are taking care of her just now. You wanna join her down there?"

"No..." Link grumbled. "I'm gonna rescue her and free this temple and the whole forest from you and all the other monsters!"

Asuka growled. "Monsters, you say?" she snarled. "I have been a member of Hyrule's richest families, and my father was a respected guest at the royal court... I won't let you disgrace my family name by calling me a monster!"

"Aw, come on!" Tatl huffed. "We all know you wouldn't be in Ganondorf's service if he hadn't promised you something. Most Poes are mindless beasts, enslaved by his dark magic... You and the other three Poe Sisters are different, you still have your free will!"

"You pesky little fairy..." Asuka grumbled.

"So what is it that Ganondorf promised you?" Link asked in a cold voice. "Power? Wealth?"

"Eternal Life!" Asuka proclaimed and raised her fist. "As a spirit, I can live on forever, and my beauty will remain untouched for centuries! Look at how ugly all the common Poes are... but not me!"

Ukyo looked the undead girl over and sweatdropped. "Um... beauty? I hate to say it, but every Dodongo will win any beauty contest against you!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Asuka screamed. "Ooooh, that does it... you will all DIE!"

She floated up in front of them, raised her arms to the side, seemed to concentrate... and all of a sudden, three identical copies of her split up from her form and surrounded the heroes.

"What?" Ukyo asked and drew her spatula. "How did she do this?"

"Be careful!" Navi said with a shaking voice. "I can't tell which is the right one..."

Asuka and her copies grinned. "So, what do you say now?" her spooky voice was coming from all directions at once. "Can you tell which one is the real me?"

"Oh, now what?" Tael groaned. "How can we win if we don't even know which is the real one?"

"Shut up and let the heroes do their job, bro," Tatl muttered. "We know how to deal with such opponents."

"W-well, if you say so..."

Link and Ukyo were standing back to back, their weapons drawn, and watched how the four identical, ghostly figures were circling them.

"You really know how to deal with her?" Ukyo whispered from the corner of her mouth.

Link shook his head. "Not yet... but every opponent has a weak point! And we have to find hers quickly, Saria is waiting!"

'Once again he mentions Saria,' Ukyo mentally sighed. "Link, forget about Saria for a moment and concentrate on the fight! We won't be able to find out the real one if you are constantly absent-minded."

"How can you say that?" Link snapped. "Isn't Saria your friend as well? Don't you want to save her? Do you plan to abandon her?" The last part he yelled out loud.

"Of course not!" Ukyo said firmly. "But we won't be able to save her if we let our feelings affect our actions. Stay calm, focus on the enemy and we'll be able to beat her easily."

Link took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Where did you hear that?" he murmured. "Sounds like something some wise guy would say..."

Ukyo smirked as she recalled her one and only visit of Death Mountain's peak. "A Great Fairy told me..."

Link smirked. "Well, then let's put that theory to the test, shall we?"

Ukyo nodded, and together, they carefully watched the floating spirit's movements.

"Now I've got you!" Asuka screamed in a shrill voice. "DIE!!"

"Ukyo, to your left!" Link shouted.

Ukyo twirled around her weapon, made an impressive leap, Asuka and her illusions were approaching them, raising the burning torch for the ending blow...

And then Ukyo's spatula came down on the original Asuka's head, smashing her downwards. A huge shockwave bursted forth from under the spatula as it was smacked down on the hard stone floor and made the three doubles disappear.

"I... I don't believe it..." Asuka choked from under the spatula. "How... how did you find out that I was... the real one?"

Ukyo smirked. "A true warrior observes his opponent and knows when to strike. You gave yourself away when you attacked, that's all!"

"Damn you..." Asuka muttered. "Just you wait... I will watch you from beyond the grave... and sooner or later, Ganondorf's servants will kill you! Just you wait!"

And then the female Poe dissolved into ghostly, purple flames, while her torch dropped to the ground.

Link caught it. "That makes four!" he said as he carried it over to the final torch that was surrounding the non-functional elevator that was leading down to the lower floor. He lighted it with the purple flame and...

Slowly, the elevator rose from the ground.

Ukyo stepped up next to her friend. "So... you ready to save our friend?" she smiled.

Link nodded with determination. "Yes, I am!" He then smiled back at her. "Thanks... I nearly lost my head back there. And that was a sweet attack... where did you learn it?"

Ukyo shouldered her spatula as she smirked at him. "A Great Fairy taught me!"

Link chuckled. "I have to meet a Great Fairy as well, one of these days..."

"Ukyo..." Tatl said. "Link... You two go on ahead! I'll stay here for now and make sure nothing happens to Tael."

"But sis, I don't wanna stay here! I want to save Saria, too..."

"And what do you plan to do?" she snapped. "Irritate the kidnappers by buzzing around their heads? Link and Ukyo will have their hands full with making sure Saria won't be harmed. They can't look after you all the time, so we'll just search for a nice place to hide until all of this is over."

"O-okay, Tatl..." Tael murmured.

"We'll make sure to come back as quickly as possible," Ukyo said. "Don't you worry!"

Tatl looked at her blue counterpart sternly. "Navi... you help them in my place! Got it?"

Navi nodded. "You can count on me!"

----

Author's Note:

Well, now I caught up with the original text I wrote on the Anime Addventure. From now on, updates here on will come more slowly, as I need more time to write every single part of each chapter… and the chapters I'm writing at the Anime Addventure are much smaller than those I put here. Still, I hope that won't discourage you from reading this story, as I already have a few nice ideas how I'm going to proceed.

PS: Please read my other story, 'The Neverending Game', and tell me what you think! Thank you!


	13. The Sage of the Forest

Author's Notes:

Okay, from now on, the chapters will be much shorter than before, and I will also be able to update only once or twice a week. Still I hope you're satisfied.

----

Veran frowned when she saw how the young girl was trying to escape the magical bubble she was trapped in.

"Try as much as you want, you won't be able to teleport out of this one! It's warded against all kinds of magic, even the power of a sage!"

Behind her, the dark copy of her master just finished the last preparations for the ritual. "It is done!" he simply said.

"Good!" Veran smiled as she turned around. "So when do we kill the brat?"

"Right after we killed the hero," the phantom grumbled. "She will be our bait one last time."

"And what about that irritating Deku? Did you manage to capture him?"

"He knew he couldn't keep the evading game up for all eternity, so he hid in the shadows to regain his strength."

"WHAT?" the Sorceress of Shadows snapped. "And you let him escape?"

"He is irrelevant for our plans," the phantom stated. "As soon as the sage and the Hero of Time are dead, the other pesky little forest dwellers will be of no importance to us any more."

"Well, as long as that trap of yours is working..." Veran muttered. She turned around and opened a dark portal.

"Where are you going?" Phantom Ganon shouted. "They can be here any time!"

"I just want to make sure that the entrance is secure," Veran replied coolly. "Earlier, I met a spy of the Sheikah out there, so we can't be too careful. By the way, I am sure a big, strong guy like you will be able to handle a couple of kids, right? And if you're having trouble, you can always call me back."

Phantom Ganon growled. "I warned you once, witch: Do not overstep your bounds, or you'll be sorry!"

Veran just gave him a sly grin and stepped through the portal, which closed behind her.

Phantom Ganon grunted in annoyance, then he focussed back on the Kokiri trapped inside the magical bubble.

"Before this day is over, you will die, little girl!" he grinned. "And your beloved Hero of Time along with you!"

----

"Man, I hate such puzzles..." Ukyo grimaced. "They're always wasting our time. Who constructed those temples in the first place? A loony?"

"No time to think about it, Ukyo!" Link said as he looked at the map. "We're almost there..."

At the end of the corridor they were following, a huge door was blocking their way. A door with a very big keyhole.

Ukyo raised an eyebrow and took the Big Key they found out of her pocket. "You don't suppose this goes there, do you?"

"Ukyo-sama!" a voice cried out, followed by a dark shape that came dropping down from the ceiling.

Link quickly raised his blade, but the little figure in front of him waved around its hands. "Wait, it's me!"

Ukyo gasped when she recognized the Deku. "K-konatsu..."

Link lowered the Master Sword and grinned. "Well, if it isn't the little ninja! Looks like the gang's complete now..."

"Not quite..." Konatsu sighed. "Saria... I couldn't save her a second time... I'm sorry I failed you..."

Ukyo knelt down next to her friend. "Hey, it's not your fault! We wanted to rescue her, too, but we couldn't stop that sorceress when she abducted her again."

"So you saw that witch? Be careful, Ukyo-sama, she can use dark powers..."

Ukyo frowned. "I thought I told you not to call me that anymore!"

"S-sorry, Ukyo..." Konatsu murmured. He then looked at his old friend more closely. "Wow, you two really have grown in the past few years. I'm curious, though... where have you been all the time?"

Navi sighed and nodded. "Yeah, we get that question all the time."

"Oh, I almost didn't see you up there! Hello, Navi!"

Navi smiled and waved. "Good to see you again, Konatsu!"

"Excuse me," Link said impatiently. "But don't we have anything better to do than to stand around here and talk? They are planning to kill Saria!"

Konatsu gasped. "Oh no, we have to save her! I would have tried it by myself, but that huge door wasn't closed earlier..."

"Leave that to us, sugar," Ukyo told him. "You go back upstairs and make sure that Tatl and Tael are safe, they are waiting for us up there!"

"Okay... if that is your wish..."

"Yes, please do so! And Konatsu..."

The Deku Ninja looked back just as he was going to leave. "Yes?"

Ukyo gave him a quick hug around his round, wooden head. "I've missed you!" she murmured.

Konatsu blushed as much as a wood creature could, coughed nervously and walked backwards to the elevator room. "Um, I'll see you guys later then... good luck!"

Link chuckled. "Do you have to confuse that poor little guy every time you see him?"

Ukyo sighed. "I know, but it's just that... I really missed him sooo much!"

Then the two green-clad warriors turned around to face the door.

"All right!" Ukyo said. "Another friend of ours needs our help..."

She turned around the Big Key and the door opened. Carefully, they stepped into the huge, circular room that was waiting behind the door...

They found nothing here but a couple of stairs that lead up to a big, round podium, which was surrounded by a fence of metal spikes. All around them on the walls, they could see various paintings, which all showed the same gloomy landscape.

But besides that, the room was empty.

"I don't get it..." Link murmured as they stepped into the middle of the platform. He took out the map. "The compass clearly tells us that this is the room where the most powerful enemy is waiting for us... but there's nobody here!"

"Are you sure you know how that compass works?" Ukyo asked.

"Of course," Link insisted. "It points at the biggest amount of hostility towards the user it can find... but do you see anything in here?"

Ukyo looked around. "Not many places here where he could hide..." she murmured. "And Saria isn't here either... maybe we should go and look if they have escaped into one of the other rooms?"

"The compass never lies!"

"You know what you can tell that compass?" Ukyo snapped and turned around in irritation. "I'm telling you, I don't trust those magical gadgets and I..."

She stopped in mid-sentence when suddenly, a couple of spears came jutting out of the ground behind them, effectively blocking their only escape towards the door.

Ukyo gulped. "Well, now we're trapped..."

"That you are!" a deep voice came from behind them. "Trapped like rats, yes..."

They turned around in surprise. Floating behind them, in the air, was a stallion as black as the night, with eyes that were burning like fire. It was standing in the air as if it was standing on solid ground. And on its back, they could see an imposing, armored figure, with a face that they have seen before...

"Link..." Ukyo said nervously. "If I ever doubt the compass again... you can smack me, okay?"

"It... it's him..." Link murmured. Then he snarled and grabbed his blade and shield. "Ganondorf!"

The rider smirked down at them. "Not quite, boy! I am afraid my master is a very busy man and can't take care of little pests like yourselves while he has other things to do... but don't worry, you'll see that even I, a mere copy of his dark being, will be a befitting challenge for 'noble heroes' such as you are."

The phantom laughed loudly, then it reached up for its face...

Ukyo, Link and Navi watched in horror as the dark creature tore the skin off his face just like it was a mask... and behind it, a diabolic skull with demonic horns and eyes that were burning like embers became visible.

"AND NOW..." the phantom's voice boomed as his evil stallion reared up on its hind legs and whinnied. "YOU WILL DIE!"

"Oh, a great day I'm having..." Ukyo grimaced and grabbed her spatula.

"Look out!" Navi cried when the hideous phantom riding on the dark stallion suddenly flicked his hands, and a huge lance appeared in them, tipped with nasty spikes.

"Take THIS!" he shouted and waved around his lance, firing a bolt of magical energy at them both, while at the same time, his stallion neighed loudly and jumped directly at one of the paintings hanging at the wall.

Link pushed Ukyo to the side, just as the magical bolt was hitting the floor next to them, creating an electric field. Link's legs got caught in the field and he cried out as he was shocked badly.

Ukyo threw him a quick glance to make sure he was all right, then she looked back at Phantom Ganon.

"Where is he?" she asked in confusion.

"He... he and his horse entered one of the paintings," Navi stuttered in confusion. "I've never heard of any magic like that before..."

Link winced as he got back to his feet. "Well then, we just have to be careful when he reappears, right?"

"And what if he doesn't?" Ukyo asked.

"I'm sure he will, he wants to finish us off..." Link murmured and watched the painting intently. He sheathed his sword and pulled out his bow. "Once he's coming back out, I'll nail him with an arrow. Keep your guard up, okay?"

Ukyo nodded, while wishing she had a better projectile weapon than just her flour bags.

They waited... and waited... and then they heard the evil laughter of the phantom.

"What? What?" Ukyo shouted while looking around. "Where is he? I can't see him?"

Navi had a bad feeling about this. She turned around... and yelped with fright when she saw the black stallion and its rider come out of a painting at the opposite side of the room, surrounded by a violet aura of dark magic.

"QUICK, TURN AROUND!" she yelled.

With a motion swift as lightning, Link turned around, firing his arrow at the flying abomination. His arrow pierced the black neck of the phantom horse, which let out a sharp whinny of pain. It came crushing down to the floor, and Phantom Ganon, who already had raised his lance for the killing blow, only barely managed to jump off his mount.

Ukyo cried out as she stormed forwards, twirling around her spatula. She then turned it so that the sharp edge of her weapon was aimed at the demonic horse's neck and slammed it down.

The dark steed's body jerked around one last time, then it slumped to the floor motionless, dissolving in a plume of green, demonic fire.

"That takes care of your little pet," Ukyo grumbled as she looked up, where their skull-faced opponent was floating. "Now it's your turn!"

"Pesky little insects..." the phantom growled. "You are nothing in comparison to the power of Ganondorf!"

He raised his hand and focussed his energy. They could see how all of his magic got focussed in one single point, creating a sparkling energy ball of magical power.

"DIE!" the phantom roared as it threw the energy ball at Ukyo.

"We'd rather not!" Link yelled as she stepped in between them and flung the magical projectile back at him with his blade.

The phantom was surprised, but then his demonic face seemed to sneer. "Two can play that game," he grumbled as he grabbed his lance and hit the energy ball back at the two heroes.

"Backhand shot!" Ukyo shouted as she used her spatula like a tennis racket. Phantom Ganon snarled, but hit the energy ball back at them once again.

"We can keep this up the whole day," Link shouted as the Master sword sliced the air and sent the magical projectile back at him yet again. "Can you?"

The dark phantom tried to hit his own spell back at them one more time, but he must have miscalculated, as he missed it, and then the energy ball hit him in the chest, making him twitch sporadically as he sunk down to the ground, where he slumped down and clutched his chest with a groan.

"NOW!" Ukyo yelled as she prepared for the Overhead Slam the Great Fairy had taught her. She jumped up to slam her spatula down on him with all force she could muster, while Link drew back the Master Sword and then twirled it around with a loud yell, as he attacked the phantom with a Spin Attack.

Phantom Ganon yelled out loud as the two attacks hit him at once, throwing him back against the metal bars that surrounded the platform. He tried to get back to his feet, but failed miserably.

"Veran..." he coughed. "Veran, come back here immediately... I need your... assis... tance..." He waited for any answer of his female ally, but he got none.

He looked around in confusion. "V-veran?" he muttered. "Wh-where are you? What kind of tr... treachery is this? I am... my master's will and long arm..."

"What's wrong, phanty?" Ukyo mocked. "No tricks left? Looks like this is the end of the line!"

"N-no..." the phantom coughed as he tried yet again to get back to his feet. "My master... I won't fail you..."

"You already have," a dark voice appeared out of nowhere, sounding identical to Phantom Ganon's. "You have failed to accomplish the task I have you burdened with."

"No, master!" the phantom cried out in shock. "It is not my fault... the sorceress... she abandoned me..."

"You are not supposed to rely on the help of others, servant!" Ganondorf's voice replied darkly. "You have failed me and you will have to suffer the consequences..."

"NO!" the phantom roared. "No, master... anything but that!"

But he couldn't do anything when all of a sudden, a mysterious force pulled him off the ground and pulled him into the middle of the room. Link and Ukyo jumped back in surprise when suddenly, a dark swirl of evil energy appeared beneath the flailing phantom.

"You so-called 'heroes'..." Ganondorf suddenly said, addressing Link and Ukyo directly. "You did quite well... It looks like you may be gaining some slight skill. But by defeating my phantom, you have proven nothing! When you fight the real me, it won't be that easy!" His evil chuckled filled the room. "What a worthless creation that ghost was! I will now banish it to the gap between dimensions!"

"YYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAARRRRRRGGHH!!!" Phantom Ganon screamed out as his body fell apart bit by bit, every single bit being absorbed by the dark portal underneath his flailing form. And when he was completely gone, the portal vanished.

Link and Ukyo stared at the ground in awe.

Finally, Link broke the silence: "So... he now knows that we are back, huh?"

"Seems like it..." Ukyo murmured. "We managed to beat his dark copy... but will we able to handle the real him when we face him one day?"

"I know you will..." a soft voice exclaimed.

The two heroes looked up in surprise and watched how a shimmering bubble came floating out of one of the paintings, surrounding a figure they all knew too well.

"Saria!"

The Kokiri girl smiled down at her friends while the magical bubble lowered itself to the floor and vanished with a slight 'pop'. The very same instance, the walls of the Forest Temple vanished all around them, and to their surprise, they found themselves back in the Chamber of the Sages.

Rauru was standing on the Emblem of Light and looked at them proudly, while Saria appeared on the green Emblem of the Forest.

"Thanks to you two, I was awakened as a Sage," Saria said softly. "The Sage of the Forest Temple... I now know what you have to do to free Hyrule from Ganondorf's evil reign."

"Saria..." Ukyo murmured, but then, Link fell down to his knees.

"Saria..." he said. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry that I was gone for seven years. I wanted to come back to you... if I was here, maybe all of this wouldn't have happened... I am so sorry..."

Saria smiled, then she walked off her emblem and gave Link a hug. "Link... you don't have to be sorry. It was your fate to bring the Spiritual Stones into the Temple of Time and pull out the Master Sword. Without its help, we would have never been able to defeat Ganondorf. And while I was sad that I couldn't see you for all those years... seeing you now, in front of me, makes up for all of that!"

"Oh Saria..." Link said, hugging her back. "Even if those seven years seemed to be a very short time to me... I've still missed you so much! And I was so afraid they would have done anything to you..."

"It's all right," she smiled. "I'm fine now... and in here, nobody will be able to harm me anymore."

"Indeed, boy!" Rauru nodded. "Within these walls, she will be safe from anyone who wants to misuse her powers. And now that one of the sages has awakened, you are one step closer to freeing Hyrule from that tyrant."

Saria nodded as she released Link and took a step back. "I will now give you this... as a sign of my powers. Keep this safe when you go and search for the other sages!"

And she handed them her own medallion, the dark green Forest Medallion!

Link stood up from the ground and clutched the medallion to his chest. He then seemed to remember something. He pulled something out of his pockets and handed it to his old friend. "Here, Saria... I think it's time I gave this back to you. For all this time, I have kept it with me... but now, that I know you to be safe, I want to give it back to you."

Saria smiled when she saw the small instrument in Link's hands. "My Fairy Ocarina..." she said and took it back. "Thank you, Link... thank you for keeping it safe for all those years!"

She then looked at the ocarina sadly. "You know, I am pretty sad that you and I... we are from two different worlds..."

Link was taken aback. "Wh-what do you mean by that?"

Saria sighed. "Link... you are not from the forest, don't you see? You are no Kokiri! Therefore... I believe that it must be destiny that you and I can't live in the same world..."

"S-saria..."

She smiled back at them. "But... I want both of you to know that... I will always be your friend! Always!"

And as soon as she spoke those words, the Chamber of the Sages vanished around them, and they found themselves in a different place, once again...

----

Veran huffed as she left the Lost Woods behind her. "That stupid phantom... did he really believe I would come to his aid? As if I, the Sorceress of the Shadows, would waste my time for a fool like him..."

She knew she would have to answer her lord for this act of insolence. Maybe he would even punish her. But she knew she had not much to fear. For some reason, Ganondorf had never punished her too severely, even if she overstepped her bounds quite a few times. It seemed to her that she was still one of his favorites, a powerful servant which he has big plans for...

She didn't really believed she could have hindered the Hero of Time from freeing the Kokiri girl. It was not that she thought he would have been able to defeat her... she was far to arrogant to think that... but she told herself that the phantom's plan was doomed from the very beginning.

She sneered. "Well, what do you expect? He was still just a copy from my master... a moronic ghost that could never capture one of the sages by himself! The only reason why he managed to capture the girl for some time was because he had my help and that of the four Poe Sisters..."

Now that she thought about it, where were her four servants? Oh well, she would look for them later... Now she was far more interested to find that young Sheikah warrior again... he had been a truly interesting opponent.

----

Ukyo looked around in confusion. "Where... where are we?"

"I know it..." Navi said in a very sad voice.

They turned around... and gasped when they saw the dead remains of the Deku Tree standing in front of them...

While Navi fluttered up to the dead tree and hugged its grey bark with a sigh, Link lowered his head.

"I am sorry I couldn't save you, Great Deku Tree..." he murmured. "But... at least I have come back... and I saved Saria, the Forest Temple and the whole forest. I just wish... I could talk to you one more time..."

Ukyo walked up to him. She wanted to say some words, to cheer him up, but then her eyes caught something and she looked down at the ground. "What the...? What's this?"

Link and Navi looked down as well, and they saw a strange little scrub growing from the floor. It was tipped by two green leaves.

"That hasn't been here seven years ago, right?" Ukyo asked.

Link wanted to reply, but suddenly the strange plant came shooting upwards, startling all three of them. Link even fell back on his behind and let out a yelp of surprise.

The small, bulbous tree that had grown from the ground within seconds stared at them with a wide grin.

"Hi there!" he said. "I'm the Deku Sprout!"


	14. Kuonji and Saotome

"Water!" Ryoga yelled as he jumped through the secret door in his mentor's room. "We need water, now!"

"Oh no!" Shampoo cried as she jumped to her feet. She looked at her currently female fiance, who was gasping for air in the Goron's strong arms. "What happen to Airen?"

"That cursed witch put a stupid spell on him, turning him back into his Zora form..." Ryoga grumbled. "But if we don't put her in water right now, I don't know what will happen to her."

"But... but there are no cold springs here on Death Mountain," Yoiko said with worry.

'The portal to the Lost Woods,' Moosh-Genma signed. 'Little Yoiko told us there was a magical portal here that leads directly into the forest, and I'm sure we're bound to find some cool water in here... it would certainly be faster to go there than to head down the entire mountain trail to Kakariko.'

"You're right, old man!" Ryoga nodded. "We have to take that chance, or Ranma is done for! Could you watch Yoiko some more time until I come back?"

When Genma nodded, Ryoga nodded back. "Thanks!"

"Shampoo come with you!" the beautiful Gerudo warrior said, and then the two of them quickly ran out of the room.

"No..." Ranma muttered weakly. "Ice... ice, everywhere... Mom... so hot..."

"He delirious..." Shampoo said with worry. "We have to bring Airen to forest spring quickly."

----

The Deku Sprout grinned at the flabbergasted faces of Ukyo and Link.

"You certainly seem surprised to see me. Thanks to you, the dark influence over the Forest Temple has vanished and Saria has awakened as one of the Sages. Now I can grow and prosper. Thank you!"

"Um... no big deal," Link murmured as he came back to his feet. "But..." He looked over to where the dead remains of the Deku Tree were still standing. "Are you really the Deku Tr..."

"Let's say I'm his offspring," the Sprout said with a smile. "Although I have gained all of my 'father's' knowledge and personality."

"Well... that's good to hear," Ukyo said. "We were worried what would happen to the Kokiri without the guidance of the Deku Tree... um... you are not mad that we didn't manage to lift the curse in time, are you?"

"Heck no!" the Sprout laughed. "The tree was beyond saving, but the monster Gohma still had to be killed, who knows what else it would have done in the forest? Besides, you prevented it from stealing the Kokiri Emerald for Ganondorf."

"Yeah..." Link murmured. "And what good did it? Ganondorf still managed to trick us, and now he's holding one of the Triforce pieces..."

"It is unfortunate, that's true," the Deku Sprout said in a more serious voice. "But nobody could have predicted that. Still, as long as you save all of the sages, we have a chance to save Hyrule from his reign. The amulet you are holding is proof of that."

Link looked down at the Forest Medallion he got from Saria. "This?"

"Indeed!" the Sprout said. "The six medallions contain the powers of the sages and their temples. With them, they always know where you are and can keep track of your adventures. Every sage will receive his or her medallion as soon as they truly embrace their destiny as a sage."

"Okay... but we still have five others to find and save," Ukyo said. "And I have no idea where to..." She looked over to Link and blinked in confusion when she saw his face. "Link... are you all right?"

"Huh?" Link muttered as he was pulled out of his thoughts. "Oh yeah... I was just thinking..."

"You are still thinking about what Saria told you, right?" the Sprout asked him. "That you are no Kokiri..."

Link nodded with a sigh. "Yes, that's true. But... what am I, if not Kokiri? Does that mean I am..."

The Sprout smiled at the confused young man. "I'm sure you already have a good idea... you are no Kokiri, that's true! You are Hylian, just like Ukyo is! And that is the reason why you, unlike your Kokiri friends, grew up in those seven years."

"A... a Hylian?" Link gasped. "But... but if that is true, how... how did I come into the forest in the first place?"

"I was wondering the same," Ukyo nodded. "I know I came here after my... my father died..." she sighed. "But Link was already here when I awoke in the Kokiri Village, so how...?"

"It all began when a young Hylian mother came into these woods..." the Sprout began his tale. "She was close to death, and she already lost her husband... so she pleaded to the Deku Tree that he should save her only child, a young baby with the name of Link..."

"My... my mother..." Link murmured, remembering the soothing voice from his dreams.

"The Deku Tree placed the child in the care of the Kokiri, where it grew up as one of them. Knowing that it was your destiny to leave the forest one day, the Deku Tree decided not to tell you anything about this... not until Ganondorf placed the curse on him. Feeling that the safety of the Kokiri Emerald was more important, he wanted to tell you of your heritage after you defeated Gohma. But unfortunately, the curse had spread further than he had known, and thus, he only had time to tell you of your important mission before he died."

"Great Deku Tree..." Navi sobbed. "Oh, Link... if I only knew, I would have told you."

"It's... it's okay, Navi..." Link murmured. "But this... I would have never guessed that I had Hylian parents. My mother... and my father... I wonder what happened to him?"

"Maybe will find out, one day," Ukyo smiled as she comfortingly put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "But for now, we have to concentrate on finding the other sages, before Ganondorf does so before us."

"May good fortune accompany you on your way," the Deku Sprout said. "Navi... please go with Link and Ukyo on their journey, I'm sure your powers of fairy prediction will still be of use for them... but I have the feeling that you would have gone with them either way, am I right?"

"Y-yes..." Navi said and blushed. "They are my friends... I would never abandon them now!"

"Ukyo!" a loud voice suddenly startled them. "Link! Quick, come here!" And then a yellow blur came flying into the Deku Tree's glade.

"Tatl?" Ukyo wondered. "I thought you were still back in the Forest Temple with Tael and Konatsu?"

"Not anymore, Sprite and Bark arrived and told us that all of the monsters in the forest suddenly disappeared, and when we went to look for ourselves, we heard other fairies talking about how you were talking to the... oh my! Um, e-excuse me, Great Deku Tr... I mean, Sprout, I didn't see you over there..."

"Calm down, little one!" the Deku Sprout said with a chuckle. "And tell us what is the matter."

"Oh, of... of course... Well, just when we were heading back to the village, we heard a strange noise coming from the portal... you know, the one that is leading to Death Mountain... and just when we stopped to see what was going on, this muscular Goron appeared out of nowhere, accompanied by a female warrior, and they almost ran us over. I was already going to complain, when I noticed that he was holding this dried-out Zora girl... and he asked us to bring him water, so we brought them into the village... everyone is excited, you know? They have never seen a Goron, or a Zora, or a Gerudo before..."

"A Gerudo?" Link asked and a deep frown appeared on his face. "C'mon, Ukyo... maybe we still have to defend the woods against evil invaders."

"I'm with you!" Ukyo shouted as she drew her spatula, and together, they ran back to the village.

"Now wait a moment..." the Deku Sprout called, then he sighed. "Oh boy..."

Link and Ukyo entered the village with drawn weapons. "All right!" Link shouted. "Where is the Gerudo?"

"Ukyo?" a deep voice asked. "Is that you?"

Ukyo looked over to the small pond, where all of the Kokiri had assembled - except for Mido and Saria, of course! And in their middle, there was a tall boy with bulging muscles and a rocky skin... and the spotted bandana he was wearing looked very familiar to the young Okonomiyaki chef.

"I don't believe it!" she blurted out. "Ryoga!"

Ryoga turned around and saw a young woman in green clothes, bearing a huge spatula. He blinked. He recognized that huge cooking tool/weapon from somewhere...

"Ukyo? Is that you?"

Ukyo grinned. "Hey, it IS you! How have you been, rock-head?"

Ryoga smirked. "To meet you here, of all places... small world Hyrule, eh?"

"Hey, I told you I was from the forest, right?"

"Yes, but..." He shook his head. "Never mind that now..."

"But what are you doing here?" Link wondered. "Is there a special reason why you came into the forest?"

The Goron frowned and nodded. "Yes, it's because of a friend... um, I mean... someone I know. We came here because we quickly needed to bring her to cool water, and there are no cool springs on Death Mountain, so we used the portal in the woods to come here..."

He looked around. "I think she's getting better now..."

Ukyo and Link looked past him... and saw a Zora girl sitting in the small pond in front of the item shop. Link thought she looked familiar, but before he could place her face, they both saw the lavender-haired girl with the curved scimitars that was crouching next to her.

Link glared at her. "Is that the Gerudo?"

"Well, yes," Ryoga nodded. "She..."

"That's all I needed to know," Link said grimly and raised his blade. With determination, he stormed forwards.

"Hey, wait a second..."

"Get out of our woods, Gerudo scum!" Link yelled.

Shampoo only heard a loud voice, but her sharpened warrior instincts told her that a dangerous weapon was coming at her from behind. She quickly moved to the side so that the sword that was aimed at her missed and instead sliced into the soft earth.

Instantly, she drew her own blades in a fluid motion and scowled at her attacker. "Hey, why you attack Shampoo from behind? Honorless coward!"

"Shut up!" Link yelled. "I won't let any servants of Ganondorf destroy the peace of the forest anymore!"

Upon hearing that, Shampoo narrowed her eyes. "Green boy Never call Shampoo that again!" she screamed. "Or green boy will be sorry!"

"You are a Gerudo, that's all I need to know!" Link snarled. "Now get out of here, or else..."

"Hey, STOP!!" a loud voice suddenly yelled, and two wet, but strong hands grabbed Link's sword arm and pushed it down. "Calm down, Link!"

"Stay out of this, you..." Link turned around to look at the Zora girl, who had just come out of the water and was now holding him back.

Then he recognized her. "R-ranko? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me!" the buxom Zora girl said with a frown. "And I'd like you to leave my fiancee in one piece, please!"

One of the Kokiri girls that were watching the scene and tugged at Ukyo's tunic. "Hey, miss... what's a 'fiancee'?"

"Fiancee?" Tatl wondered. "But you're both girls!"

Ranko ignored the commotion around them and glared at her old pal. "What's the matter with you, Link? It's not like you to just attack people out of the blue. And I know you aren't an honorless coward... so why did you attack her from behind?"

"But... but she's a Gerudo!" the Hero of Time said accusingly and pointed at Shampoo. "They are followers of Ganondorf... and he was the one who attacked our forest. He sent the monsters that killed the Deku Tree... and his men kidnapped one of my best friends, and they would have killed her as well, if we hadn't saved her in time."

"Link... I admit that most of the Gerudo work for that creep, that's true, but... Shampoo is different! She hates Ganondorf as much as everyone else around here."

"Airen is right," Shampoo said, putting away her weapons. "Shampoo is so sorry that other Gerudos listen to Ganondorf, especially... especially great-grandmother..." She clenched her fists as a single tear appeared in the corner of her eye. "But Shampoo is honorable warrior and will not allow Ganondorf any longer to be king. Shampoo fight with Airen! Shampoo will free Hyrule from tyrant!"

Link looked at her suspiciously. "So... you really hate him as well?"

"Is true," Shampoo nodded. "Auntie Nabooru disappeared... Shampoo sure that Ganondorf is responsible... or ugly elders Koume and Kotake."

"Put your sword away, Link!" Ranko said again. "She isn't your enemy! She only wants to help!"

Link looked at the Gerudo girl for some time, then he sheathed his sword. "Fine! I'll believe you... for now!"

Ryoga and Ukyo sighed in relief. Then Ryoga approached the pond, a bit nervous because of the water. "Ranma... are you feeling better?"

Ukyo froze. WHAT DID HE CALL HER?

"Yeah, I'm all right... thanks for bringing me here, pal! I really appreciate it." She then growled. "That stupid witch... if I ever get my hands on her..."

"Link..." Ukyo said in a flat voice. "How about you introduce me to your... friend?"

"Huh? Oh, that's Ranko, the Zora princess I told you about, remember? We saved her sister from the parasite in the whale's belly..."

Tatl sweatdropped. "You're kidding me! You wanna tell me that story was true after all?"

"So, if her name is Ranko... why did Ryoga call her 'Ranma'?"

Link gasped when he remembered the grudge Ukyo was holding for the Saotomes.

"Well, that's because Ranma has a Jusenkyo curse," Ryoga explained. Unlike me, he turns into a Zora girl with cold water."

"Very nice, Ryoga..." Ranko grumbled. "I wanted to keep that a secret, you dolt!"

Ryoga chuckled. "Oops... sorry 'bout that..."

Ranko sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter, since you're Link's friend... so, yeah, Ryoga's right... my real name is Ranma, I just chose the name Ranko for my Zora form, and since my sister is an actual Zora, I..." She then blinked when she saw how Ukyo's fists were shaking. "Um, you feeling all right? You seem a little tense, um... what was your name again?"

"Ukyo!" the okonomiyaki chef grumbled while reaching for her spatula. "Ukyo KUONJI!"

"Well, nice to meet you, but..." Then Ranko hesitated. Kuonji? Kuonji? Where did she hear that name before?

"Ukyo..." she murmured, not noticing how Ukyo was approaching her with firm steps. "Ukyo... sounds familiar... wait... I think I got it!"

She snapped her fingers and grinned. "Ukyo, of course! You're Ukyo, my childhood pal, right? Your father owned that okonomiyaki cart..."

"My father is DEAD because of you, Saotome!" Ukyo yelled. The Kokiri standing around her gasped in fear as they heard the hostility in her voice. "You and your greedy bastard of a father stole our cart when we were small... and I believed you were my friend back then..."

She went in her battle stance. "Now I know better... you stole it! And we lost our only way of income! Father was sick... and I couldn't do anything to help him! He died... and I was all alone! And it was just because of YOU that it happened!"

"Whoa, calm down there, Ucchan!" Ranko said surprised. "Pops always told me he bought the cart from your Dad... I was surprised too, when we had to leave in such a hurry..." She scratched her head. "Come to think about it, he did act kinda strangely that day, but I never thought anything about it..."

"Why should I believe you? You signed the contract yourself, didn't you?"

"Contract? What contract?"

Ukyo had enough. With teary eyes, she pulled a small bundle out of her pocket. It was a small leather pouch, wrapped around an ancient piece of parchment. She shoved it into the Zora girl's surprised face. "There! Can you read? Do you see that handprint? That is yours! My Dad gave it to me before he died, and I kept it over all those years, so I had something to remind me of what you and your father did... so I could finally have my revenge! And now the day has come!"

"W-wait a minute, Ukyo..." Ranko stuttered. "That handprint... I remember it! Pops has asked me if I like you or Okonomiyaki better... and I said okonomiyaki... and then he made me put my hand on this parchment." He frowned. "Damn, Pops... what were you thinking? If I only knew..."

"Shut up and defend yourself already!" Ukyo shouted. "This is it, Ranma! After all those years, I'll finally have my revenge! Prepare to die!" And she raised her spatula and jumped at him.

"Now, Ukyo, don't do anything rash..." Tatl shouted. "Oh dear..."

Shampoo jumped in-between Ukyo and her fiance. "You no touch Airen, spatula girl! You lay one hand on him and Shampoo give you Kiss of Death!"

"Out of my way, you Gerudo bimbo!" Ukyo snarled. "I won't let anyone stand between me and my revenge!"

"Ukyo, calm down already!" Link shouted. "It has been a long time since that happened, and I know that Ranko would never do anything that..."

"Can't you see what I went through, Link?" Ukyo cried. "I thought you understood me, you always were my best friend... my father died because of him! Honor demands that I must avenge him!"

"But Ukyo... what if everything was just a big misunderstanding?" Link asked.

"THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING!" Ukyo yelled. "I'm gonna kill that bastard and... GAH!" She yelled in surprise when suddenly, Ryoga's powerful arms wrapped themselves around the flailing girl. "Leggo of me, Ryoga! I'm gonna kill him!"

"No, you won't!" Ryoga said firmly. "Not today, Ukyo... I always wanted to do the same thing, but... you know, I really think Link is right about this. I really can't imagine that Ranma would do such a thing. Honor is the most important thing to him, next to his family... and ever since how he risked his life today just to help me save my own people, I know that he is an honorable man."

"Well, right now, he's an honorable woman..." Navi murmured.

"I don't care!" Ukyo yelled and tried to get out of the Goron's powerful grip. "I don't care, I don't care! My father is dead because of him!"

"Ucchan, I'm... I'm sorry!" Ranko murmured. "I'm really sorry... honestly!" She knelt down in front of her childhood friend. "I never knew what was going on... I was sad that I had to leave you behind... and now that I know what Pops did, I wish I hadn't done what I did back then. I was a young fool... and I know I can't make it undone, but please... please forgive me!" And she bowed down to the ground in front of her. "As the princess of the Zora, please accept my sincerest apologies!"

Shampoo knew her fiance was serious about this. He very rarely slipped into the role as the princess of the aquatic people, but this showed her that she was indeed genuinely sorry.

Ukyo stopped her flailing, although she still stared down at the crouching Zora girl with disgust. "Okay... I'll let you live... for now! If you manage to prove to me that you are sorry, I might forgive you some day. And I still have a bone to pick with your father!"

"That Airen's line..." Shampoo muttered.


	15. Zelda's Bath

Like an elegant dolphin, the younger Zora princess was swimming through the flooded shafts of the Water Temple. All around her she could hear the growling and snapping of the dark creatures, dampened by the water.

She was hoping she wouldn't be spotted by any of them.

The inside of the temple was like a maze, and she had to return to the huge middle chamber more than once. But she was determined to save her parents and the rest of her people, so she never gave up.

"There has to be a system behind this..." Ruto murmured to herself while she was diving down a narrow shaft. She did recognize the Triforce symbol on several murals, but whatever did the weird signs underneath mean? She wasn't able to make heads or tails of it.

"I only have to find the demon who cursed my tribe," she told herself. "The rest won't matter."

Suddenly, the shaft ended in a short corridor, who was leading a short distance further away, until another shaft brought her up again. She propelled her sleek body upwards with her fins... and broke through the water surface.

She climbed out of the water and saw that she was in a small room. The only two ways out of here were the shaft she had been coming from and a door.

She sighed. "Another door... I wonder when this will end..." With resignation, she opened the door and stepped into the next room.

But when she looked up, she gasped at the strange scenery in front of her.

She didn't even notice how the door behind her closed by itself, and that solid iron bars were blocking her only way of escape.

She was standing in what looked like a very shallow pond, with the water only going up to her ankles. In the middle of this pond, there was a small hill of sand, with a stark tree standing in its middle.

She frowned. "This is so different from the rest of the temple..." she murmured. "Maybe this... is the lair of the demonic creature."

While she carefully approached the tree, she never noticed that the reflection visible in the water to her feet didn't show her curvy body, but the body of a young man with blonde hair, clad in a green tunic...

She reached the small sand island and walked up to the tree. She put her hand on the bark and frowned. It looked like a regular tree... but she knew there was no way that it could grow under such conditions.

"Something is wrong here..." she muttered and looked around the room. Somehow, she felt being watched. "Hello?" she shouted. "Who's there? I-I'm not afraid of you, you know?"

When she got no response, she carefully walked backwards, off the island... and then she bumped into someone who was standing behind her.

She yelped in surprise and spun around... and stood face to face with a creature that seemed human, but that was as black as the night.

It also looked like a mockery of one of her oldest friends.

"Welcome, princess!" the apparition hissed as it reached out to grab her. "I'd like to welcome you... to your demise!"

And when Dark Link stared at his victim with burning red eyes, Ruto screamed in fear.

----

Darunia was standing among the lava patches that were scattered all over the cave. Sparks of fire were coming out of the searing river of lava that surrounded the rocky island he was standing on.

The brave leader of the Gorons furrowed his stony brows while he carefully eyeing the lava patches.

"Come out, spawn of hell!" he shouted in a thundering voice. "I know you're here!"

A geyser of molten lava erupted out of one patch, and a pair of shining eyes was staring at him from the middle of this inferno.

"You are trying my patience, Goron!" the creature roared. "How long do you plan to defy me?"

"As long as it takes to save my people, foul creature!" Darunia growled. "As long as at least one of the proud Goron people is free, we won't surrender to you or your dark master! Know that I will fight until the end!"

"Big words!" the hidden monster mocked. "Only once in history I have been defeated... and you lack the sacred weapon your ancestor was wielding!"

"I don't need it when I have my fists!" Darunia bellowed while smacking his stone hands together. "You shall feel them soon enough, hellspawn!"

"You know you won't win, Goron!" the dragon hissed. "When this is over, you will be the first I will devour... alive!" The creature chuckled. "I like my prey fresh... and struggling!" Darunia could see how the monster was preparing to strike. "I'm going to enjoy tearing you limb from limb..."

The proud leader of the Gorons sweated, and it was not because of the heat in the volcano. "Ryoga..." he murmured while he awaited his monstrous opponent's attack. "Hurry up and bring everyone out of here, quickly... your old mentor can't beat this beast by himself!"

----

"He ran that way! Get him!"

The young man with the long, black hair ducked behind a wooden crate, while he heard the footsteps of the Gerudo warriors running along the corridor. He prayed to Farore they wouldn't find him...

He started to believe that his master was right... he and his companions should have never entered the Gerudo Fortress. It was a stupid idea.

"I... I only wanted to see her again..." he whimpered. "I wanted to join her... ever since the day I saw her, I wanted to become a Gerudo as well... so I could be at her side always. Oh, my beloved Shampoo..."

Master Mutoh had regularly told them that the Gerudo women hated men and that they would never accept a male among their tribe. Still, they refused to listen... mainly because the old Mutoh was a slave driver, in their opinion.

But this... this was so much worse! The way those Gerudos had stared at him... even his martial art skills of hidden carpentry tools didn't save him from their sharp spears and arrows.

Shampoo was different... that fateful day when he met her, three years ago, she caught him sneaking around the fortress. At first, she wanted to kill him... but for some reason she pitied the poor carpenter boy. And so she let him go, although she warned him to never come back again. Still, he was so smitten with her beauty that he told himself she was the only one he would ever love.

He believed that the other Gerudos would leave him in one piece if he tells them that he's Shampoo's friend. But as soon as he mentioned her name, they threw him and the other carpenters dark glares and attacked them with their spears and bows.

He didn't know if the others managed to escape, he only knew that he somehow had to find a way out of here... or Shampoo! Yes, Shampoo would save him, he was sure of it...

Suddenly, someone behind him coughed.

He turned around... and grinned broadly. "Shampoo, my love! I knew you would come! Oh, how I have missed you!" And he hugged her with a massive glomp.

"Ahem... as much as I appreciate that, sonny, I have the feeling you might be a bit too old for my tastes."

Mousse blinked in confusion, reached into his robes and pulled out a pair of glasses, which he put on his nose.

"GAH!" he yelled as let go of the wrinkle figure he had been hugging. "A Gibdo!"

WHAP! "Who are you calling a Gibdo, boy? Show some respect towards your elders!"

"Who... who are you?" Mousse murmured as he looked at the ancient woman who was sitting on a hovering broomstick. He then gasped. "You... you are one of the Gerudo Elders!"

"Ah, so you heard of us, eh, sonny?" Cologne cackled. "Then you might know how foolish it was of you to enter our fortress. Maybe a few weeks in the torture chamber will show you the errors of your actions..."

"N-no... stay away from me!" the almost blind carpenter boy yelped and ran away.

The Elder of Wind sighed. "They never learn..."

And as she focussed her powers, her white hair got twirled around by the gusts of wind that twirled around her. Hovering in the air, she grabbed her broomstick, channelled her magical energies through it... and fired a vortex of air after the fleeing boy.

Mousse yelped when the tiny tornado hit him on the back and threw him against the solid stone wall. He fell down to the ground where he collapsed with a groan.

Cologne came flying next to him and poked him with her broom. He was unconscious.

"Although I feel sorry for this outsider, we have to keep intruders out of our domain," she muttered. "That's the way of the Gerudos!"

She snapped her fingers. Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor, as a tall figure, clad from tip to toe within a heavy iron armor, came around the corner. In his right hand, it was carrying a huge axe.

Cologne gestured at the motionless body of the carpenter. "Lock this intruder into a cell, as you did with the others, slave!"

The Iron Knuckle grunted in response and effortlessly picked Mousse's body up with its left hand. Its only purpose was to obey and to serve. It would follow any order of Ganondorf or the Gerudo Witches... any!

Cologne watched how the giant vanished behind the corner. For a while, she could still hear the loud clanging sounds his metal boots were making.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, granddaughter..." she murmured. "But unlike you and Shampoo, I will never betray my people. You brought this upon yourself... now you'll have to serve the Great Ganondorf for all eternity... as his mindless slave!"

And deep within the mind of the monstrous Iron Knuckle, a small voice was pleading for this horror to stop.

----

Link walked around his old house and sighed when he looked at the things that reminded him of his time back when he was just one of the Kokiri.

"Everything's so... small!" he finally said. He carefully sat down on his bed and was relieved when it didn't break. "Do you... do you think I could live a normal live when all of this is over, back here, in the forest?"

"I... don't know," Navi admitted, as she landed on the blanket next to him. "Now that you know you are a Hylian and not a Kokiri... would you still want to live here, knowing that your friends will always stay like this, while you and Ukyo continue to grow older?"

"You just had to remind me of that, had you?" Link groaned. Then he noticed how unusually quiet Ukyo was. "Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Ukyo stood at the window and stared outside. "Ranma..." she muttered. "After all those years... could he really have forgotten that incident just like that? I... I was reminded of it almost daily, and he... he just blames his father! Dang, I know old Genma's a greedy old bastard, but... but why can't Ranma be man enough to admit that he's just as guilty as his old man?"

"Ukyo..." Link said and walked over to his friend. "Please, stop thinking about that for once, okay? I don't know what happened that day and if Ranma is to blame or not... but don't you think seven years are enough to change a person?"

"The Kokiri didn't change..." Ukyo whispered. "So why should Ranma?"

Link really didn't know what to answer to that. "Listen... it has been a long day, why don't we just go to sleep for now? Tomorrow, we'll see how we can help Ryoga and his clan. Maybe that will also lead us to one of the other sages, who knows? We have more important stuff to think about than Ranma."

Ukyo just grumbled something. Link shrugged and went to bed. "G'night..." he yawned and turned around on his bed. Just minutes later, he and his fairy companion were sleeping peacefully, Navi sleeping in his green cap, as usual.

Ukyo looked over to Saria's hut, where she knew Ranma and his Gerudo fiancee to be. She knew she should probably concentrate on their mission, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw Ranma's face. She gritted her teeth. She couldn't sleep like this.

"I just need to know what's going on in his head..." she grumbled. Quietly, she left the hut and climbed down the ladder. Then she carefully tiptoed over to the other hut. From inside, she could hear voices.

She ducked underneath a window and then peeked inside the room. She could see Shampoo and Ranma, who was still in his female Zora form. Shampoo was handing her a kettle of water.

"Here, Airen!" she said. Ranma took the water and poured it over her head, turning back into his human form.

Ukyo blushed when she saw Ranma's muscular body. The only thing he was wearing was a piece of cloth that was wrapped around his waist. Ukyo remembered that he had worn nothing when he came to the village as a Zora, and she blushed even further. She had never thought about it, as it seemed normal to her that Zoras rarely ever wore clothes.

'Dangit, why does he have to be so handsome?' she thought to herself.

"Is Airen still angry at spatula girl?" Shampoo asked with a frown. "Maybe Shampoo should go over and teach her some manners, Gerudo style?"

Ranma sighed. "That won't be necessary, Shampoo! To be honest, I really feel sorry for her... and I can't really blame her for being mad at me. If only Pops never stole her father's cart back then..." He grumbled. "Man, what was he thinking? He'll have a lot to explain when we get back."

Shampoo thought about it. She knew how it was to have relatives taken from her forcefully... even though she knew there was still a chance that her aunt was still alive. "Airen, maybe you help Ukyo cope with it..."

"I would like to," Ranma agreed as he sat down on Saria's bed. "But what can I do? She's still so mad at me, it's a wonder that she didn't attack me back earlier. I just hope I can show her that I never wanted to hurt either her or her father."

"Not give up, Ranma!" Shampoo said softly as she sat down next to him. "There is old Gerudo saying: 'Even warriors have to wait until sandstorm calms down.' Sometimes, you have to wait for things to work out. Given some time, spatula girl will forgive you. Shampoo sure of it."

'Not a chance, desert girl...' Ukyo thought darkly as she listened to their conversation. 'Death Mountain will freeze over before that happens!'

Ranma chuckled. "You know, it's really amazing... of all places, meeting Ukyo here, and at this time... I often wondered what happened to her. Nice to see she turned out to become such a cute girl."

Outside, Ukyo nearly fell over. 'C-c-cute...' she thought, and her blush made her face look like a red ChuChu with hair. 'He thinks I'm c-cute?'

Shampoo frowned. "Careful, Airen!" she mock-growled. "Or Shampoo might think you are more interested in outsider than in her."

Ranma grinned. "Sorry about that, Shampoo!"

----

The blue-shimmering fairy flitted up to the treetops, where she saw several other small bodies like hers, all of them lying underneath small leaf blankets, their glowing lights dimmed as they peacefully slept.

Careful not to wake anybody, Navi flew over to where a yellow fairy girl was lying next to a younger, male, purple fairy. She gently tapped Tatl on the shoulder.

"Tatl, it's time to get up. We're going to leave early for Death Mountain."

Tatl murmured to herself as she brushed off her leaf blanket, then she yawned. "What time is it?" she grumbled. She always was a grouch in the morning. She then looked up at the sky. "The sun yet has to rise," she protested.

"Well, Link and Ryoga agreed that we should leave early," Navi whispered. And keep your voice down, the others are still sleeping."

"Where are you going, sis?" Tael murmured, as the conversation of the two girls woke him as well.

Tatl sighed. "I'm afraid we have to go now, Tael. Please don't worry about me, I'm not going to be away for seven years this time. And promise to keep an eye on the fairy children, okay?"

"Yeah, I promise... but Tatl, I really wish you... you wouldn't have to go..."

"Well, yeah, but you know how that is," his sister sighed. "Ukyo would be lost without me, so I have to go with her."

"Tatl, hurry, we must go!" Navi hissed.

"All right already! Tael... please, take care of everything around here, okay? You're a big boy now, you can do it."

"You can count on me," Tael nodded. "Good luck, sis!"

And then the two girls left him behind, as they flew out of the tree that served as the bedroom of the Kokiri fairies. They met up with their friends in front of the entrance to the Lost Woods.

"You're late," Ukyo scolded.

Tatl grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

"C'mon, let's hurry!" Ryoga urged them. "I don't want to know what horrible things that creature will do to my people as long as we're still here..."

"Yeah, and we also left Pops and lil' Yoiko back there," Ranma agreed.

Ukyo gave the boy who had once been her childhood friend a skeptical look. She could tell that he was really caring about his father and Ryoga's little friend, but she still couldn't forgive him that easily.

Even though he DID say she was cute...

----

Shiek came to a stop on top of the hill, panting as she looked down into the valley. By taking this shortcut, she should be able to reach Zora's Domain much quicker than before.

She gazed over all the many springs that were scattered across the valley. "The valley of Jusenkyo..." she muttered. "A sacred place to the Zora... I've read about this place, but I've never been here before."

She then shook her head. "I've got to hurry. I have to find a way to save Ruto's parents."

She stumbled down the hill and nearly fell down to the ground. Panting hardly, she leaned against a tree. She had been travelling for a whole day now, and even though her magic had turned given her body the muscles of a true Sheikah warrior, she had her limits like any other human being.

Wheezing, she wiped her forehead. "I can't go on like this..." she groaned. "I have to take a break."

She looked at the near springs. When she saw the fresh spring water, she realized just how sweaty and dirty her Sheikah garments were. The thought of a relaxing bath made her groan with anticipation.

She hesitated... but only for a short while. "Just for a few minutes," she decided as she approached the closest spring. "It won't do the Zoras any good if I overexert myself and collapse before I even reach their domain."

She looked around if anyone was close by. She also used her magical abilities to sharpen her senses. She couldn't feel anything, so nobody was around. She could spot a small shack standing close to the springs, but it seemed to be abandoned.

Satisfied that nobody who could see through her disguise was around, she took off the bindings that were wrapped around her head. Zelda sighed as she shook her long, blonde hair. She then took of the rest of her suit, sat down on the ground and slipped her body into the cool, refreshing water of the spring.

Had this spring been one of the many cursed springs at Jusenkyo, the princess of Hyrule would have had the big misfortune of acquiring a similar curse to Ranma and Ryoga. However, this spring was filled with ordinary spring water, and so she had nothing to worry.

At least not from being cursed...

When Zelda had scanned the area for living beings, she only sensed anything that was above the ground. So she wasn't aware that a creepy slime monster, a so-called ChuChu, was hiding in the soft ground in-between the springs.

While Zelda was sitting in the spring and relaxed, the red ChuChu came oozing out of the ground. It could feel the warmth of a human body nearby and instantly looked forward to a nice snack.

The ChuChu slithered across the wet grass until it was close to the spring. Zelda was unaware of any danger around her, so she was completely taken by surprise when suddenly, the slimy monster pounced upon her, clinging to her head like an oversized hat.

Zelda struggled against the ChuChu's grasp and flailed around, splashing water in all directions, and tried pushing the attacker from her head. But then she slipped on a wet rock and fell down backwards into the spring. The ChuChu pushed her down, so she could not get up again. Zelda tried to hold her breath, but just a few moments later, she started to choke. She would drown if she wouldn't get out of here quickly.

Desperately, she closed her eyes and called out to the Goddess of Power. 'Din, hear my plea and save my life today...'

And then, a blazing sphere of fire surrounded her body and exploded outwards.

"DIN'S FIRE!"

The ChuChu squeaked in horror and pain as the searing heat scorched his slimy little body and the flame spell blasted him away from the princess, as she came bursting forth from the spring, gasping for air.

She panted and looked at the scorched remains of the slime creature. She really had to be more careful...

Then she heard something behind her. She looked around and saw multiple red, green and yellow blobs slithering out of the earth.

"Seems like Jusenkyo has become a breeding ground for ChuChus..." she murmured. "I've got to get out of here..."

The ChuChus certainly didn't agree with her, as one of them, a yellow specimen, jumped at her. Zelda tried kicking it away, but she didn't notice that this kind of ChuChu was capable of surrounding their bodies with a field of electricity.

The princess yelped in pain as not just her foot, but her whole body got shocked by the creature's attack. She stumbled backwards, nearly slipped on a green ChuChu that was just coming out of the ground beneath her... and fell into a spring that was just behind her!

----

Zelda blinked a few times. She was lying on the wet grass between the springs, seemingly safe for now. The ChuChus were nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, so you have awakened, princess of destiny," a calm voice spoke up.

Zelda raised her head... and looked at the biggest bird she had ever seen in her life. It was an owl, almost as big as a (mature) Dodongo, with long feathers over its eyes, which looked like eyebrows. An aura of peace and wisdom seemed to surround it.

"I am glad to see that you are fine," the owl went on. "I rarely decide to interfere as bluntly like this, but I had no choice. You really should be more careful, princess. Being taken by surprise by a bunch of ChuChus is NOT the way we'd like to see our future queen die."

Zela stared at the owl in amazement. "You... you talk?"

The owl chuckled. "Yes, indeed, my dear! But I get that reaction pretty often... allow me to introduce myself. I am Kaepora Gaebora, known as the Wise Owl."

The princess shook her head. "I've never seen a talking bird before..."

"Oh? Then I suppose you should look into the spring behind you... but be careful not to fall in again!"

Zelda turned around, then hesitated a bit. Something was wrong about the way her body moved... but she decided to ignore that for now and looked into the waters of the spring she had fallen into.

She gasped in surprise, when instead of her reflection, she saw the face of a huge bird staring back at her, almost as big as Kaepora Gaebora himself.

"I'm... I am..."

The owl nodded. "Yes, you are! The magic of Jusenkyo has affected you like any other who has fallen into one of the springs. This particular spring is known as the 'Spring of Drowned Hawk', so naturally, it turned you into a hawk. But do not fret... there are ways of turning you back to normal."

"I can't believe this..." Zelda groaned as she looked down at her avian body. "But why... why am I so big? And how can I talk? And my feathers... they are all white! That's not normal for a hawk, is it?"

"That has to do with the magical abilities every female descendant of the royal family of Hyrule is born with... but also because of something else. You know what happened after Ganondorf touched the Triforce after invading the Sacred Realm, right?"

And the owl pointed his beak at her body, at a place that was covered with her wings when she didn't spread them.

An image of three triangles was visible on her white feathers... and one of them was shining in a bright light.

"The... the Triforce of Wisdom?" she whispered.

Kaepora Gaebora nodded. "Yes, its powers helped you regain your capability of speech in this form, and that's not all of it. You know how your magic helps you to disguise you as a Sheikah?"

Zelda didn't even ask how the owl knew of this. "Yes, I can change the color of my eyes and increase my strength and agility..."

"Correct, and now that Jusenkyo's magic flows through your body as well, the three magical forces in your body have merged with each other, making it possible for you to change forms without the need of cold or hot water. I must admit I never foresaw any of this when I watched you and young Link from the distance, but..."

"You know Link?" Zelda asked in surprise.

"Him and his young, female friend," the wise owl nodded, recalling his encounter with Ukyo. "And I know that your trust in them is more than justified... we can expect great things from them in the near future. It was a wise decision that you agreed to help them from this point on."

"Do you know where they are right now?" the female hawk asked.

"Yes, they are heading for Death Mountain, to save the Gorons from Ganondorf's clutches. And they are not alone... they have allies that accompany them, in addition to their trusty fairies. A mighty Goron warrior... a renegade Gerudo who is determined to fight even against her own people if it means to defeat Ganondorf... and the elder Zora princess."

"The Zoras!" Zelda suddenly shouted. "I have to get to them... something terrible happened at Zora's Domain! I promised Ruto..."

"Calm down, my dear! The Zoras are still encased in their icy prison, but their life is not in danger. They can still be saved. However, their elder princess, Ranko, is in danger, as are the Gorons of Death Mountain. Before the sun is setting again, an undead creature named Volvagia will devour them alive, if they are not saved in time. However, the most urgent problem is that Princess Ranko - who is also known as Ranma in her male, human birth form - is cursed by one of the Gerudo witches. Whenever Ranma gets close to the Fire Temple, where Volvagia resides, he will turn back into his Zora form. And you know that Zoras can't survive in that dreadful heat, right?"

"This Ranma..." Zelda asked hesitantly. "Does he have a Jusenkyo curse as well?"

"Yes, but that is not the curse that has to be lifted. But your powers of light, combined with the Triforce of Wisdom, should be able to free him from the witch's spell, allowing him to enter the temple and help his friends to free the Gorons."

"And... if I don't go?" Zelda asked.

The owl sighed. "Then he will try to enter the temple again and again, no matter if means that his life is in danger or not. He has made a promise to the young Goron named Ryoga... and honor is the most important thing to that young man. He tends to be... rather stubborn, I'm afraid."

"But if I tell him that his family is in danger... he would turn back and come to Zora's Domain as quickly as he can, right?"

"I don't know that. Maybe his promise to his friend will be more important once he hears that the Zoras won't die as quickly as the Gorons... or maybe his family is so important to him that he even puts his honor aside. But you still have to get to him, because of the spell of the witch."

"I see..." Zelda nodded. "Well, I promised Ruto that I would tell her sister what happened to her and the other Zoras... and even though I know that she is still in the Water Temple, I know she would want the same. If Ranma wants to help save the Gorons or if he wants to help his family first is up to him, still I have to go to him."

"And make haste," the owl said. "Very soon, they will be entering the crater again, and then the spell will once again turn him back into a Zora."

"But... but how can I get there in time?" Zelda wanted to know.

Kaepora Gaebora chuckled. "My dear... use your wings!"

"My... my wings?" Zelda stuttered, having forgotten for a while that she was now in the form of a big hawk. "Of... of course. I shall leave right away."

"Good choice, princess! I wish you good luck, and may the goddesses be with you. I will continue to watch over you..."

"Thank you, Wise Owl!" Zelda replied, then she spread her wings. Experimentally flapping them up and down, she sighed. "This is really something I will have to get used to..." she murmured. But a few tries later, she actually took off and flew a few circles over the springs of Jusenkyo, before heading towards the peak of Death Mountain, which was still surrounded by a circle of fire.

----

In the Chamber of the Sages, Rauru opened his eyes and sighed.

"Well, did you talk to her?" the green-haired girl that was standing next to him asked.

The sage of Light nodded. "Yes, I projected my spiritual self close to her just in time. If I knew that she was going through Jusenkyo..." He shrugged. "Well, at least she can control it better than any other victims of that place. And it will help her to get to Death Mountain in time."

Saria gasped. "You mean she actually got cursed?"

And Rauru told the small Sage of the Forest everything that happened.

Saria blinked. "If she fell into another spring first, why didn't she get cursed then?"

"It was one of the few springs of Jusenkyo that wasn't cursed... still, if the Chuchu had drowned her in there..." He shuddered. "Well, I'm very glad that did not happen. Still, while she didn't realize it, she nearly DID drown back then, and that was enough for the magics of Jusenkyo to create a new cursed spring. Now every time someone falls into that spring, he or she will be turned into a young, female Hylian by the curse."

Saria pondered. "A young, female Hylian...?"

Her thoughts wandered back to Link. She recalled the moment after he and Ukyo saved her from Ganon's phantom. She clearly remembered his sad face when she told him that they were of two different worlds. To be honest, it nearly broke her heart as well after she found out that he was Hylian, even though she learned about it much, much earlier in her life.

"If I could be with you, Link..." she murmured. "Would you want me?"

"I'm sorry, did you say something, child?" Rauru muttered absent-mindedly.

Saria shook her head. "It's... it's nothing."


	16. The Jusenyko Guide's Nephew

Link stepped into the huge cave that was the central shaft of Goron City and took a good look around.

"So... this is Goron City?"

Ukyo came up next to him. "It's so... desolate," she murmured. "The first time I was here, there were Gorons everywhere..."

"I told you, Ganondorf imprisoned every single one of them in the Fire Temple," Ryoga grumbled. "The only ones he didn't manage to capture were me, Darunia and his little daughter... and Darunia's still in the temple, probably fighting that undead monster. I hope he's all right, though..."

"Hey, don't worry!" Tatl said confidently as she landed on the Goron boy's thick head. "With all of us as your backup, we can help them all."

"Maybe... but I still hope we're not too late." Ryoga sighed.

"Shampoo is more concerned about Elder Koume," Shampoo spoke up in a worried voice. "What if she puts spell on Airen again?"

"Ah, that old bat took me by surprise, that's all!" Ranma huffed. "Next time, I'll be ready for anything she throws at me."

"You're so full of yourself, Ranma!" Ryoga grumbled. "And what if she manages to turn you back into a Zora yet again? We don't have the time to take you back to Kokiri Forest another time."

"Maybe Ranma should stay back here," Navi suggested. 'Link is strong enough to take care of any witch or monster that is in his way...' she thought to herself.

"The hell I am!" Ranma protested. "I'm not gonna stay here and let you guys have all the fun! Besides, I have still a bone to pick with that hag!"

"Ranma..." Ukyo said through gritted teeth. "Can you finally shut up and for once think about others first? The Gorons are in danger, and you want to show us how macho you are? You... you are such a big jerk!"

"Hey!" Ranma shouted in an offended voice. "I'm worried about the Gorons just like the rest of you, okay? And don't worry, I just won't let myself be hit by that spell again, and all will be fine, right? I'm telling you, she won't hit me!"

"Oh yeah? Because you are sooo cool? Link is twice the hero you would ever be, Ranma!" Ukyo snapped.

"Please, leave me out of this..." Link murmured.

"I'm telling you, I won't mess up this time!" Ranma shouted. "It's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak, and I'm gonna help save Ryoga's people, just you wait and see!"

"How? By turning back into a fish girl that can't stand the heat?"

"Whoa, guys, cool down there!" Tatl said as she flitted in-between the two squabblers. "This really isn't the time!"

"Yellow fairy right," Shampoo nodded. "Airen, you just listen for once and stay behind, okay? I no want you to see as a fried fish again."

"But Shampoo, I'm telling ya I can handle..."

Shampoo glowered at him. "You want to make Shampoo angry? You better listen to Shampoo and friends, we just want your best!"

"Talk for yourself..." Ukyo grumbled, but made sure the Gerudo warrior wouldn't hear her.

Ranma gulped. "B-but Shampoo, I..."

"Ranma! You stay here, or Shampoo will make use of Gerudo punishing technique for disobedient husbands!"

Ranma shivered. While Shanmpoo never had to make use of that technique, she already told him more about it than he ever wanted to hear. "Th-that won't be necessary, I think. I'll be good."

Shampoo nodded, satisfied for the moment. "Good. Now you go and protect Yoiko and stupid bear-man, while Shampoo go in your place."

"Whatever you say, Shampoo..." Ranma groaned.

Ukyo looked at Shampoo with new-found respect. "Wow, she really knows how to deal with him."

Then her gaze went over to Ranma and she found herself frowning again. 'Then again, I pity her for having such a fiance. He may have called me cute, but I still can't forgive him for what he did to me and my family...'

They walked down the slopes, until they reached the bottom of the central shaft. Finally, they entered the chief's chamber, where an excited Goron girl was awaiting them.

"Ryoga-oniichan!" she cried and gave the strong Goron a hug. "You're back!" She then looked over to Ranma. "Ranma, are you feeling better now?"

"Don't worry about me, kiddo!" Ranma smirked. "I'm one tough cookie, I won't let myself be bothered by such a throwback."

"I hope you'll let this be a lesson for yourself, boy!" Genma said grumpily as he approached them as well. "Never let yourself being surprised by your opponent!"

"Gee, thanks for the advice, Pops..." Ranma grumbled. Then his eyes fell on Ukyo, and he could see the hate in her eyes... and she was looking at his father this time.

'Uh-oh!' he thought. 'I totally forgot how Ukyo would react when she sees him again...'

"You!" she snarled. "Genma Saotome!"

Genma looked at her in surprise. "Yes? Have we met before? You look familiar..."

The green-clad Okonomiyaki chef growled at him through clenched teeth, but this time, she refrained from pulling out her spatula. "Ukyo. Ukyo KUONJI."

Genma paled. The Kuonji girl? After that long time? He gulped. Hopefully, she wasn't mad enough to strangle him...

"Hey, how nice to see you again, girl!" he said nervously. "Um... how's your father?"

"He's DEAD!" she shouted. "Because YOU stole his cart!"

Genma winced. The heavy guilt instantly made his legs shaky, and sweat appeared on his forehead. "Oh..." he said. "That's... unfortunate..."

"Unfortunate? UNFORTUNATE?" At this point, Ukyo couldn't refrain herself anymore and she drew her giant spatula. "I'll make YOU feel UNFORTUNATE, you bastard!" Tears were streaming down her face. She hated this man in front of her so much, even more than she hated his son. "I should kill you here and now!" she whispered.

"Ukyo, calm down!" Link said and tried to hold his friend back. "We talked about this, remember? This won't bring your father back, and it certainly won't make you feel better afterwards."

"L-listen to that boy, he speaks the truth," Genma stuttered.

Ranma glared at his father. "Pops, you are a pathetic coward at times... but I haveta say, I sorta agree with Ukyo."

"WHAT??" Genma shouted. He was shocked. "My own son would backstab me like this? What did I do to deserve this?"

"Pops, you swindled her father and besmirched their honor by breaking a your promise! Besides..." The frown on Ranma's face deepened. "You tricked me as well, you know? Tricked me into signing that contract..."

"Hey, you told me that you liked Okonomiyaki more. And you could have always read the contract."

"Pops, I was a little kid at that time! How was I supposed to know that was an engagement contract? I didn't even know Ukyo was a girl back then." His fist were shaking with anger as he glared at his father. "I can't believe you did that..."

Ukyo was stunned. Did Ranma really stand up for her and her family's honor? Could it be that Ranma really didn't know what was going on back then?

"Guys, I hate to interrupt your touching reunion," Ryoga grumbled. "But I'm afraid your little family feud will have to wait until my people are freed."

"Ryoga is right," Shampoo nodded. "Ganondorf is bigger bastard than father-in-law will ever be, so you should concentrate on him first."

Again, Ranma had to agree with his fiancee. "Fine, okay! You're right, we have to save the Gorons... sorry, Ryoga, I kinda forgot that for a minute."

"How good for you!" Ryoga growled. "But you are staying here, remember? And I want you to protect Yoiko with your life, or else..."

"Hey, hey, calm down, man! I swear it, nothing will ever happen to her."

Ryoga nodded and then knelt down in front of his mentor's daughter. "Yoiko, I have to leave again, but don't worry: I'll save your Daddy and everyone else. Now you be a good girl and stay close to Ranma and his father, okay?"

"O-okay..." Yoiko replied. She was a bit scared by Ukyo's and Ranma's sudden outbursts, but Ryoga's calm words instantly soothed her. "Take care of yourself, oniichan!" And she gave him another hug.

Ryoga stood up. Meanwhile, Shampoo was giving Ranma a hug. "Ranma, Shampoo will take care of everything and come back very soon. And you no worry, I will kill Elder Koume for you."

Ranma smirked. "That's great to hear, Shampoo! You go get 'em!"

"You bet Shampoo will!" the Gerudo girl smirked back.

"Okay, everyone ready?" Link asked. "Let's go!"

"Wait a sec..." Yoiko suddenly said. She let go of Ryoga and ran through the room, rummaging through a couple of drawers, until she pulled out what looked like three red tunics.

"Here," she said as she gave each one to Ukyo, Link and Shampoo. "High quality Goron's Tunics. We made them for travellers that want to visit our crater or the Fire Temple. You see, most Hylians are not heat-resistant as we Gorons are, but this special fiber will help you stand the heat. I'm sure Daddy would be willing to give you those to save our people."

"Hey, that's great!" Link smiled. "Thank you, little girl!" And he started to take off his green Kokiri Tunic.

Yoiko and Ukyo blushed when they saw the young man's well-toned, muscular upper body.

Link hesitated in confusion, just as he was going to put on his new Goron's Tunic. "What's the matter?" he wondered.

"Link, you really should learn about something called 'modesty'. As for me, I'd prefer to change in private."

"Shampoo agree." And the two girls took their red tunics and left the room.

"What did I do wrong this time?" Link wondered.

Navi was blushing intensely while she desperately tried not to take a peek at her half-nude friend, while Tatl just shook her head and sighed.

----

In the throne room of the dark building that stood in place of Castle Hyrule, three persons were staring at each other.

Ganondorf stared down at the pathetic boy, who was crouching to his feet.

Mousse stared up at the imposing figure in front of him and shuddered with fear. Even without his glasses, the near-sighted carpenter's son realized that the figure in front of him was someone he clearly didn't want to anger.

Elder Kotake simply stared up at her master's face, hoping to find a hint of satisfaction.

"What is this?" Ganondorf finally snapped in annoyance. "Why do you bring this worthless boy to me, witch? Who is he"

Kotake gulped and bowed down. "My lord... this boy could turn out to be of more worth than we figured when we caught him sneaking around our fortress."

"Who are you, boy?" Ganondorf grumbled. "Where do you come from?"

"S-sir, please spare me!" Mousse babbled as he threw his face down to the floor. "I am just a poor carpenter's son, and I never wanted to steal anything from you or your followers... I only was searching for my true belov..."

"Elder Kotake!"

Kotake snapped to attention. Whenever her lord called her by her title, she knew he was displeased. "M-my lord?"

Ganondorf made a wide gesture with his arm. "Look at my castle! This tower of darkness that I constructed in place of that hideous Castle Hyrule! I summoned it up by myself, using my dark magics, combined with the power of the Triforce! Do you really think I would need a 'carpenter' around here?"

"But my lord, this isn't why I brought him... his father - he is none other than Mutoh, the head carpenter from Kakariko Village!"

"I guess we were already past that point!" Ganondorf's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying my patience, witch?"

"N-no, my master, b-but don't you know who Mutoh's brother is?"

"Get to the point already!" the angry warlord bellowed.

"Of course, of course!" Kotake quickly said. "It is none other than the guide of Jusenkyo!"

Ganondorf was surprised. "Jusenkyo... are you certain, Kotake?"

"As certain as I can ever be, Great Ganondorf!" Kotake assured him.

Ganondorf sat back down on the chair in front of his huge organ. "Jusenkyo..." he murmured. "That legendary, hidden source of magical power... the place I have been searching for ever since I acquired the power of the Triforce. Only by absorbing its powers could I possibly become more powerful than this..."

Mousse peeked up at the pondering form of Ganondorf and wondered if that revelation could save him... or if it would condemn him to a fate worse than death.

Ganondorf looked down at him, and he instantly winced under his menacing glare. "So, boy, you really are the Jusenkyo Guide's nephew?"

"Y-y-yes, my lord!" the nearly-blind boy stuttered.

"So... do you know where it is?"

"Wh-wh-what?" Mousse asked in surprise. "I... I..."

Ganondorf leaned forward a bit. "I'm waiting, boy! And try not to lie to me, I don't have any patience with liars!"

Mousse gulped. "Well, I... y-yes, I do."

Ganondorf smiled. Excellent! "So you could lead me to where it is hidden?"

"B-but my lord..." Mousse whimpered. "I... I couldn't possibly... it is a sacred place, holy to the goddess Nayru!"

"I know that, you fool!" Ganondorf thundered. "What do you think why I want to acquire its powers? I would have already claimed its waters for myself, if only those blasted Zoras hadn't hidden it with a veil of magic, which shields it for the eyes of all evil. I wouldn't even be able to see it if I stood right in the middle of the valley! I already tried to wrestle that knowledge out of them, but they had to resist me. Why do you think I sent Morpha to curse their pathetic kingdom? They were of no use to me anymore. And you should better obey me, if you don't want to share their fate!"

"Please, don't do anything to me!" Mousse pleaded. "I never did anything wrong..."

"Stop sniveling and tell me where to find Jusenkyo Valley!"

"I... I can't... I promised..."

"So, you disobey me?" Ganondorf frowned. "That's very, very unfortunate... maybe I should go and ask your father instead? And if he resists me as well, I could always kill me..." He made a fist. "With my bare hands... right in front of your eyes..."

Mousse gasped. "NO! Please, no, not my father! Please, I'll do anything you want from me..."

"Then tell me where I can find Jusenkyo!"

Mousse sobbed in defeat. "It is... it is situated in the valley between Zora River and Death Mountain..."

The villain's eyes glinted with triumph. "Ah, I should have known that it was close to the homeland of those aquatic rebels... very well, you and your family may live... for today!" He turned back to Kotake. "Bring this pathetic creature back to his cell in Gerudo Fortress... and after that, make sure Morpha and its assistant are taking care of the situation at Hylia Lake. I don't want the Zora to interfere, so they have to make sure the ice around Zora's Domain will never melt."

"As you wish, Great Ganondorf!" the witch said with a bow. Then she left her master's chamber, dragging the unfortunate boy behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Ganondorf shouted: "Lady Veran!"

In a cloud of black smoke, the Sorceress of Shadows appeared in front of her master. "My lord, you have summoned me?"

"Indeed I have. Prepare yourself, you will accompany me to the springs of Jusenkyo Valley."

"My lord!" Veran was surprised. "You know where it is hidden? And I was so close on finding it by myself..."

"Spare me your excuses, Veran!" Ganondorf said in a cold voice. "I never gave you the order to find out. You might have been the princess of Hyrule once, but your father never entrusted this secret to you."

"I know!" Veran snapped with anger. "He only told it to my sister... that annoying girl... if I only could find her, then I'd..."

"Your job is to help the witches find and secure the sages," Ganondorf shouted. "Nothing else! I will find your elusive sister by myself. You don't have to find out anything about her, or Jusenkyo. I only want you to accompany me because Lord Onox was entrusted with finding the entrance to the Shadow Temple. Don't forget that both of you are on probation, seeing how you two failed me! Now, teleport us to the valley between Zora River and Death Mountain!"

Veran winced. "Yes, my lord..."

A swirl of shadows, and the two villains vanished.

----

Meanwhile, in a secluded chamber in the Water Temple...

"Why haven't you killed me yet?" Ruto asked while tears were flowing down her face. "Isn't it your job to make sure no Zora would interfere with your master's plans?"

The dark copy of her fiance glared back at her with bloody red eyes. "That might be so," the creature hissed. "But I have my own reasons for keeping you in here."

"Who are you anyways?" the Zora princess asked. "And why do you look like Link?"

Dark Link stepped over to where his bound captive was lying on the floor. He gently cupped her chin with his black fingers. "Because, my precious, I am his shadow! I am everything he is not... and never will be! I am evil, and proud of it! And I live to fulfil my master's wishes. And if he knew what my plans with you are, he'd gladly approve of them."

Ruto grimaced as she felt the creature's cold breath on her wet skin. She could smell the foul stench of evil that surrounded him. Dark Link grinned. He loved to see his victim struggle. "You love him, do you?" he whispered into her fin-like ear. "You love the hero of Hyrule, and you wish nothing more than being his wife, right? Well, if that is the case, I will gladly let you see him in the last moment of his life."

Dark Link cackled. "I will kill him in front of you... slowly, and painful. I will let you watch him bleed to death, and you won't be able to do anything about it. And your suffering will make my victory even sweeter, my dear!"

"Stop it!" Ruto wailed. "Why? Why are you doing this? Why do you hate him so much?"

Dark Link narrowed his glowing eyes. "Because..." he whispered. "He is the one... who KILLED me!"


	17. Dancing Flames

"Man, this is HOT!" Link wheezed as he wiped his forehead. "How can you Gorons stand living in such a heat? It's so hot, my guess is that every tree that would grow in here would be reduced to a pile of ashes within seconds, just from the hot air itself."

"I doubt Konatsu would like it in here," Ukyo nodded in agreement.

"At least Shampoo should be used to this heat, right?" Navi asked the Gerudo warrior.

But Shampoo shook her head. "Desert hot, but not this hot," she panted. "Only Goron Tunic allows us to stay in here."

"Then how come you two aren't affected by the heat?" Link asked the fairies.

"Not affected?" Tatl nearly screamed. "I'm getting my wings singed here and he says I'm not affected!"

"We're protected by our own magic, I think," Navi replied. "Of course we can be harmed by the fire and lava, but to just heat, we are as immune as we are against poison."

"You are immune against poison?" Ukyo asked in surprise. She frowned. "Why is this the first time I hear of this?"

Tatl shrugged. "You never asked."

"Enough with the chitchat already!" Ryoga grumbled. "We are here to save my tribe, remember? So let's get going already!"

"You're right, sorry about this," Ukyo said. "Lead the way!"

They followed the Goron boy across unsteady suspension bridges that lead across the pit of bubbling lava. Ukyo gulped when she looked down into the crater. One wrong step...

"I'm surprised the ropes of those bridges haven't burnt through yet," she mumbled. "Do they even stand the weight of multiple Gorons?"

"The bridges are for those visitors of the temple that can't take the way we Gorons usually take," Ryoga replied impatiently. "Now hurry up!"

"Geez, calm down already!" Ukyo grumbled. "You do know that this is our first time inside a volcano, do you?"

Ryoga sighed. "Sorry, but... I'm just so worried about sensei and the others. If that hag and her dragon did anything to them..."

"Look out!" Shampoo suddenly shouted. "Shampoo sense something."

"Is it an ambush?" Link asked attentively and drew his sword.

"Relax, young hero! I am not here to harm you."

Everyone who recognized the sleek figure in the blue costume sighed with relief.

"It's just that cryptic message freak..." Tatl grumbled. "You nearly gave us a heart attack, pal!"

"Hey, don't call him that!" Link protested. "He's risking his life by helping us. Besides, why would he have taught us that song if not to help us?"

"A song to get back to a temple we probably won't ever see again in our lives?" Tatl snorted. "Hah! As long as he's wearing that mask, I won't trust him!"

"A wise decision, fairy of the forest!" Sheik said as he dropped down from the obsidian pillar he was standing on. "In these days, you can't be too careful... there are too many spies around that work for Ganondorf. But I assure you that I am on your side."

"Yeah, whatever..." the yellow-glowing fairy grumbled. "Now why are you here? You don't wanna tell me you came into a volcano crater as a tourist, do you?"

"No, I came here because you need to know something." He gestured at the Fire Temple, which entrance silhouetted against the dark, volcanic rock wall which surrounded it. "Right now, one of the sages is in the temple. It is no coincidence that you came here at this moment. You have to find the sage before Ganondorf can harm him."

"Wait a minute," Ryoga spoke up. "Who are you anyway and how do you know that? The only people in there are members of my race, and old Gerudo hag and an undead dragon... do you wanna tell me that one of them is a sage?"

"I can't tell you more," Sheik said. "I just know that there is a sage in the Fire Temple, and you must hurry."

"I agree with that," Ryoga nodded grumpily. "But only because otherwise, my people will be fed to the dragon."

"We don't have the time to argue," Sheik sighed. "Just hurry and do, what you have to do. Just try to recall this song, should you ever need to get back here." And he pulled his harp from his back.

"What's the big idea?" Ryoga yelled. "Are you crazy? My people are dying and you want us to listen to some stupid music! I don't believe it!"

"You calm down, rock-boy!" Shampoo said. "Shampoo thinks mystery-boy really wants to help."

"Yeah, he helped us before," Link nodded. "And I can't really say why, but... I trust him."

Sheik nodded. "It is something that grows over time... a true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes stronger over time..." He looked at Ryoga. "The passion of friendship will blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go."

He raised his hands up to the harp. "This song is dedicated to the power of the heart... Listen to the Bolero of Fire!"

And he started to play an upbeat melody that seemed to merge with the rhythmic bubbling of the lava stream down below. Link raised the Ocarina of Time to his lips and played along. And just as the heat was drying their skin, they felt how it was filling their hearts with a pleasant warmth.

Link and Sheik lowered their instruments. Sheik put the harp back and looked at the heroes in front of him. "Link... everyone... we'll meet again!"

"Wait a minute!" Ryoga protested. "How can we be certain that you don't..."

He wanted to reach for the Sheikah's arm, but suddenly, a wall of fire appeared in-between them. Surprised, Ryoga took a few steps before he remembered that he was a Goron and could stand the heat. But before he could reach Sheik again, the mysterious youngster pulled a Deku Nut out of his pocket and vanished in a bright flash.

When Ryoga passed through the wall of fire, it vanished like a shadow in a ray of light. Confused, his hands wandered through the air as if there was anything left he could grasp.

"It was just an illusion," Navi realized. "A spell so he had enough time to get away."

"Lousy little..." Ryoga growled.

"There you have it!" Tatl pertly said. "If he's an ally, why does he always vanish like that? He just has to be hiding something from us."

"Maybe," Link said as he pocketed his ocarina. "But if he has his reasons, I'm not gonna question him. Now let'S go and save the Gorons and that sage."

"I'm with you," Ukyo nodded. And they followed the bridge until they reached the entrance of the Fire Temple.

But just as Shampoo was walking past the obsidian pillar Sheik had been standing on, she saw something gently floating down to her. She grasped it in her right hand before it could fall into the lava.

"A hawk's feather?" she whispered.

----

"So... do you know where we can find the map?" Link asked while they were walking along the searing hot corridor, slashing a few Fire Keese as they passed by.

Ryoga looked at the Hylian with a raised eyebrow. "How do you know there IS a map to this temple?" he finally asked.

"Simple..." Ukyo sighed. "Up to now, there has been a map for every temple, cavern or similar place we've been in."

"Yup," Tatl nodded. "And a compass, and a big key..."

Ryoga exchanged a confused look with Shampoo, who just shrugged. "Well, since you are so experienced, maybe you should lead the way," he said grimly.

Link shrugged. "Why not? Okay, let's, umm... go this way!"

And he gestured at the eastern wall.

Shampoo looked at him as if he had become crazy. "That is wall! Maybe green boy can go through walls, but Shampoo cannot."

"That's not really a wall," Link said with a sly grin.

"Maybe the heat has done something to his head..." Ryoga whispered into Ukyo's ear.

"Actually, I think he's right," Ukyo said and lifted her spatula. She then knocked against the wall. "Listen closely... this sounds hollow, doesn't it? So it's just a fake wall we have to get rid of. There has to be another way behind it."

"One bomb coming up," Link said with a grin and wanted to pull one of the explosives out of their Bomb Bag.

Ryoga looked at the two adventurers with new-found respect. "No need for that," he then grinned, just as Link wanted to lit the fuse. "Allow me..." And he pulled back his massive fist, smashing the thin wall into smithereens. A door became visible behind it.

"Lousy architecture..." he grumbled. "I didn't even have to use the Bakusai Tenketsu..."

Link gaped at this display of strength. Ukyo just shrugged. "Hey, if he can hurl the king of the Dodongos through the air, bashing through such a thin wall should be no problem for him, right?"

"You said it!" Ryoga smirked. "Now, after you, fearless leader!"

"Um... thanks, I guess..." Link murmured and walked through the door.

In the next room, they were faced with something slimy, and disgusting.

"What in the name of Din is THAT?" Ryoga gagged as he stared at the wriggling pile of slime that came crawling into their direction.

"Hey!" Navi shouted. "I know, that's a Like Like!"

"A... WHAT??" Ukyo nearly shouted.

"She's right," Tatl nodded. "It likes to eat armor, so make sure it doesn't swallow your tunics or shield."

"Now I've seen everything..." Ukyo murmured and pulled out a bomb. "Hey, you big pile of goo! If you're so hungry, why don't you eat THIS?" And she threw the bomb right into the gaping hole that was the Like Like's mouth.

A gulp and an explosion later, and the Like Like was history.

"Ewww..." Shampoo said as she wiped some of the yucky slime off her face. "Spatula be careful next time she blows up slime monster, okay?"

"I'm afraid there was no time for subtleties," Ukyo grimaced. "You might not have noticed, but the slime monster was gonna eat us."

"Hey!" an unknown voice suddenly shouted. "Is anybody there? Help!"

"I know that voice!" Ryoga said with surprise and walked over to the back of the room, where he saw a prison cell. And there was a Goron inside.

"Grinder!" Ryoga shouted. "Is that you?"

"Ryoga!" the other Goron said. "You came to rescue us? Great, but please, hurry, you never know when that Gerudo hag comes back."

"How do you open this?" Ryoga asked and shook the bars of the cell. "Is there a key?"

"You can't open this with a key," Grinder sighed. "And don't try to break it, I already tried. But I think there's a switch somewhere around here that should open it."

"Found it!" Link shouted from the other side of the room and stepped onto the switch. Creakily, the cell door opened and Grinders stepped out.

"Finally, I'm free to go!" he shouted with glee. "Listen, if you want to save the others, I have something to tell you: You have to find the ancient relic of the Gorons if you want to proceed. Darunia tried to find it before facing Volvagia, but he wasn't able to find it in time. By the way, you can have this. I found it in my cell."

"A key?" Ukyo frowned as she took it. "Why should they put a key into your cell?"

"Why not?" Ryoga asked. "Think about it, as long as you can't open the cell, neither the prisoner nor the key can be set free."

"Well, the switch for this cell was easy enough to find," Link commented.

"But there have to be more cells," Ryoga said. "Grinder, where did they bring the others?"

"There are other cells, further inside the temple," Grinder explained. "I would come with you, but I'm rather weak... I need some rock sirloin to gather my strength."

"Why didn't you just eat stones from the walls?" Navi wondered.

Grinder looked at the fairy sternly. "You're kidding, right? The walls are made of bricks. NOT natural stone! You wanna poison me or what?"

"Relax, Grinder, she didn't know it any better," Ryoga said to his friend. "Now hurry and leave, we'll find the others and Darunia."

"Okay then," Grinder nodded as he left. "And be careful, there are many traps around here!"

----

"They are already here, you know?" Koume asked the giant dragon as she hovered above his head, on her broomstick.

Volvagia lazily cleaned his teeth with a stalactite. "Should that bother me?" he yawned. "They'll never find all of the hidden keys... and even if they did, I'm not afraid of them." He laughed. "I will roast their flesh and enjoy their cries of agony..."

"Do not underestimate them," the witch scolded the undead dragon. "They already beat Phantom Ganon, you know that."

"Bah! That old fool!" Volvagia huffed. "I've been around a long time before Ganondorf, I know of plenty more tricks than he could imagine."

"Careful, dragon!" Koume grumbled. "You do not want to invoke his wrath, do you?"

"Of course not!" Volvagia was quick to say. "Still, he can trust in me. I'm not gonna lose to a bunch of two-leggers. Let them come... By the time I'm finished with all those hard Gorons, I will enjoy their tender meat."

"That reminds me, when do you plan on recapturing their leader?"

The dragon waved his paw through the air. "He won't come far, I already ordered those Flare Dancers to catch him. Relax, I've got everything under control!"

"Be warned," Koume hissed. "Veran was only spared of His Lordship's punishment because she is one of his closest servants. You do not have that advantage, dragon!"

And in a twirl of flames, she vanished.

"Cranky old hag..." the dragon grumbled. "I don't know why I keep up with her... I don't need any servants! In my times, I've been a force of nature that everyone was terrified of. NO ONE was brave enough to oppose me... except for that pesky Goron with his sacred weapon... Well, this time, I'll make sure that there are no Gorons left that can use that weapon against me!"

And his roaring laughter filled the cavern.

----

"Thank you!" the Goron muttered as he ran to the exit.

"How many are left, Ryoga?" Ukyo sighed as she leaned against the wall. "If this goes on like this, I'll need a rest..."

"We can't take a rest now," Ryoga replied impatiently. "There are only two left... Darunia himself, and my buddy, Coro!"

"Well, we've already ventured deep into the temple," Navi said. "I doubt there are many rooms left we haven't seen yet..."

"She's right," Link said after looking at the dungeon map. "We already found both the map and the compass, so the only things left are the Master Key and the dungeon's treasure."

"Green boy stop with this treasure hunting nonsense already!" Shampoo groaned. "Makes Shampoo head hurt..."

Ukyo looked over Link's shoulder. "Well, according to this map, there's a circular room next to the big, squarish one we've been in earlier."

"You mean the one with the flame wall traps?" Link asked.

"Don't remind me..." Tatl whined. "They nearly scorched my wings..."

"Yeah, there was another locked door in there," Ukyo said. "With the key we found in this cell, we should be able to go further."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Link asked.

----

Darunia huffed as he ran through the corridor. It was hot all around him, but as his race was especially sensitive to temperature differences, he could sense the flames of his pursuers. They were slowly catching up with him. And in his weakened state, he didn't know if he could stand up against two of them at once.

He reached the end of the corridor, entered a small, circular room... and groaned when he realized that the only exit was another locked door.

"Dammit!" he shouted as his massive fists pounded against the door. "OPEN UP!!"

Then he heard the hissing voices behind him. Recognizing the creatures that had entered the room behind him, he turned around with a growl.

The Flare Dancers almost looked like fiery scarecrows, with long, spindly arms and legs made of fire. They hovered around the big pedestal in the middle of the room, each one coming from another direction. Darunia was trapped.

He raised his fists. "Well, then, you monsters!" he grumbled. "Let me show you that a Goron never goes down without a fight!"

The Flare Dancers seemed to snicker at that, but they did not reply. Maybe they weren't even able to talk. They were just mindless beasts, after all, summoned by that Gerudo Witch from whatever hell pit they spawned from.

The Flare Dancers raised their flaming arms and Darunia prepared himself for their attack... when suddenly, the door behind him opened up, and he was faced with a blonde boy wearing a green cap.

Darunia frowned. What the hell? Who was that Hylian?

"Um, hello?" Link asked hesitantly. "Are you Darunia?"

"Yes..." Darunia replied carefully. "And who are you, boy?"

Link grinned. "I'm Link! Hey, Ryoga, I found him!"

"Ryoga?" the Goron elder said with surprise, then he sighed in relief when he recognized the younger Goron appearing behind Link. He was accompanied by two fairies, a female Hylian that looked somewhat familiar and a... Gerudo?

"Watch out!" Shampoo yelled and somersaulted over Darunia's head, blocking the Flare Dancer's attack with her two scimitars. Only her Goron Tunic protected her from the immense heat the creature was giving off.

"What are those things?" Link shouted as he drew his blade.

"Flare Dancers..." Darunia said grimly. "Creatures of hell, summoned by a witch..."

"I'll take care of them!" shouted the girl who looked so familiar to Darunia. She swung around her weapon... which also looked familiar...

"OW!!" she screamed as her weapon clattered to the ground. "What the... my spatula got hot all of a sudden!"

"What else do you expect when you hit fire with a metal weapon?" Ryoga grumbled. "Let me take care of them!" And he met the Flare Dancers with his rocky fists.

"We have to help him!" Link shouted. "He can't take on two of them by himself."

"But how?" Ukyo asked, as she tried to pick up her spatula. It was still too hot, though.

"The ancient relic of the Gorons..." Darunia murmured. "You have to use it..."

"But where is it?" Shampoo asked.

Darunia raised his right arm weakly and pointed at the eastern wall. "Hidden in there... is an alcove... use... the Goron's Special Crop..."

"Special Crop?" Link wondered. "What's that?"

"I have an idea," Ukyo said as she pulled another bomb from its bag. "Take cover, everyone!"

She threw the bomb, and the explosion tore a hole into the wall. Behind it, they could see a small alcove with a big treasure chest.

"The dungeon's treasure!" Link shouted in excitement and run up to the chest.

"Hurry up, Link!" Ukyo shouted and tried again to pick up her spatula. This time, it had cooled down enough. She looked over to Ryoga and the Flare Dancers. The rock skin of the Goron protected him from any burns, but he still had a hard time to fend off the two creatures' blows by himself.

"I got it!" Link shouted as he opened the chest. "It's a... it's a... what is it?" he wondered as he pulled a metal hammer out of the chest. "Farore, that's heavy!"

"That is the Megaton Hammer," Darunia explained. "The ancient relic my ancestor used to defeat the evil dragon, Volvagia... use it!"

Link nodded. "All right... still, it's so heavy... I'll have to use both hands to carry it." And he quickly put his shield behind his back, so he could use both hands.

He ran over to Ryoga's side. "Need a hand?" he asked.

"Anytime!" the Goron warrior panted. "Although I could have done it by myself, you know?"

Link grinned. "Yeah, sure..." And then, he swung his new weapon at the monsters in front of him.

The Megaton Hammer missed its target... and instead crashed down onto the floor. But the impact created shockwaves that almost made him lose his grip on his weapon. Ryoga, who was standing right next to him, was heavy enough not to be knocked off his feet.

The Flare Dancers were not so fortunate, though... the shockwave came bursting right through the fiery aura... and extinguished it completely! Now that the fire that made of their long limbs was gone, a pair of comically dwarfish creatures fell down to the ground in front of them.

Shampoo bursted out giggling. "Those are the horrible Flare Dancers Elder Koume told me about? They not even big enough to scare a Cucco!"

The angry Flare Dancers growled at them, but they realized that their enemies were now bigger than them and turned around to flee.

"Not so fast!" Ryoga shouted and rolled his body up into a rock. Rolling past them, he quickly stood up again before they could escape the room. Link quickly came running up to them from behind.

"Now, Ryoga!" he shouted and jumped up into the air, raising the Master Sword high above his head, while Ryoga wound up a powerful punch.

And then the sharp blade came plunging down on one Flare Dancer, while the Goron's massive fist crashed into the second one.

Letting out strangled squeaks, the Flare Dancers stumbled backwards, fell down to the ground... and suddenly started to inflate.

"Oh no!" Navi shouted. "Look out... they're going to blow up!"

Link quickly raised his Hylian Shield and Ryoga curled up into a ball, so they were both protected when their two opponents exploded in a twin ball of fire.

Ukyo put her weapon back with a sigh. "Well, that takes care of that." She then turned around to the elderly Goron and smiled. "Hi, Darunia! Long time no see!"

It was then that Darunia finally recognized her. "Ukyo?" He then grinned. "Well I'll be! You just couldn't wait for a better moment to return, could you? And look at how grown up you are!" He then sighed. "I just wish we would meet under different circumstances..."

"Don't worry, Ryoga already told me everything," Ukyo said as she helped her old friend get back to his feet. "And we already managed to save most of the other Gorons."

"Yes, sensei!" Ryoga nodded as he and Link came back to the others. "Only Coro's still missing. We only have to find him, then everything's fine!"

"Not entirely, I'm afraid..." Darunia murmured. "Volvagia... he must be destroyed... or our race will never be able to live in peace again. He thirsts for revenge... and only the wielder of the Megaton Hammer will be able to vanquish him!" The Goron Leader sternly looked at Link. "You must do it, brave youngster! You must slay the dragon!"


	18. The horror of the well

Dark clouds were covering the sky above Jusenkyo, while a dark shadow was looming over the peaceful valley. The powerful warchief's cape billowed in the wind as a female shape stepped next to him.

Ganondorf let his gaze sweep across the magical springs, while Veran waited patiently.

"Mistress of the Shadows, you have regained more of your memories, haven't you?" he then asked without looking at her.

"Y-yes," the sorceress said in a surprised voice. "Not much though... I can't recall much else except that I was Princess Kodachi..."

"And your... sister?" Ganondorf asked and raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember Princess Zelda?"

"Yes!" Veran spat with disdain. "I do remember her! I remember her innocent smile, her lectures of right and wrong, and how everyone adored her..." Veran's pale face was now a snarling grimace. "Oh, how I despise her..."

Ganondorf smirked. "And do you... regret what you did, now that you know you're the second princess of Hyrule?"

"I regret nothing," Veran said fervently as she knelt down in front of her lord. "You are the only one I want to serve. The old kingdom was weak, and Hyrule needs a powerful ruler like you to finally unite all of the scattered, low-life tribes under the iron fist of Ganondorf!"

The King of Evil laughed. "I always knew I did the right thing when I took you with me," he sneered. "You and Lord Onox truly are my two most trustful subjects."

"And... what about the Elder Witches, my Lord?" Veran asked curiously.

"The Twinrova Twins may be devoted to serving me, and they might be willing to give away their lives... but they are fools, mad with their thirst for power over the Gerudos. They do not see that there is so much more... so much more to conquer." He made his hand into a fist. "Power is everything!"

He then lowered his hand and threw the sorceress a dark glare. "But be careful never to disobey my orders again... or I won't be so merciful again!"

"O-of course, master!" Veran shivered as she bowed again to his feet.

Ganondorf nodded. "Good. And now..." He grinned as he looked back at the valley. "Jusenkyo..."

Veran followed her master down the hill, until they were standing in front of a small, wooden hut. Ganondorf instantly knew who had to live here. He looked at the tiny building with disdain, then he made a waving motion with his right hand.

A purple energy wave shot out of his fingers and blew the wooden walls aside. The hut collapsed like a house of cards, and the portly man inside cried out with surprise. Fortunately, no debris hit him. But that was just because Ganondorf had protected him. He wanted him alive.

The Jusenkyo Guide shivered when the huge man in the dark armor and the shady enchantress approached him. He gulped when he looked at the remains of his home and realized that the same could very well happen to him. He wasn't a fool, he instantly recognized the man standing in front of him.

"Guide of Jusenkyo!" Ganondorf shouted as he towered over the smaller man. "I have come for the power that dwells within the springs of this valley! Show me the most powerful of the springs, or you will pay with your life!"

"B-b-but ho-honored customer..." the guide stuttered nervously. "Jusenkyo... is sacred place. Sacred to the goddess, Nayru. I c-can't possibly..."

"Stubborn as his nephew, I see..." Veran grumbled. She raised her right hand, and dark lightning crackled along her fingers. "Shall I show him what true pain is, my Lord?"

Ganondorf laughed. "Not yet, Veran! Listen up carefully, worm! I don't care about your gods or whatever reason you bring me. I am on my way of becoming the most powerful being in all of Hyrule, and you won't hinder me on that way. Now show me that spring, or I'll personally suck the magic out of every single spring!"

Ganondorf knew that it would be useless to absorb all the magic in the valley. It wouldn't add to each other, as every time he would suck up the magic from one spring, it would make all the Jusenkyo magic he would have absorbed previously seep out of his body. The magic Nayru used to create this valley was of a chaotic nature, very unlike the gentle goddess. He needed the most powerful spring.

Although the poor guide was deathly afraid of the warlord and his servant, he was a obedient servant of his goddess. He wouldn't let this evil man desecrate her sacred place. Besides, he knew that Ganondorf would become too great of a threat if he would manage to absorb the most powerful spring's power.

He had to do something, though, or Ganondorf would not only kill him, but also suck the land dry of its powers, and that would not only strengthen him, but also weaken the Goddess of Wisdom.

"Of course, of course," the guide finally mumbled. "Please, Honored Customer, come this way..."

Ganondorf smirked. "A wise decision, vermin!"

The Jusenkyo Guide lead Ganondorf and Veran to a middle-sized, inconspicuous-looking spring in the middle of the valley.

"Here it is, honored customer," he said. "Spring of drowned demon and dragon - they fought over valley and drowned each other in here. Most powerful spring in Jusenkyo."

"Are you making fun of us, peasant?" Veran hissed. "That's ridiculous... two creatures of that size could have never fit into such a tiny spring! Impossible!"

"Ah, but don't you see?" the guide nervously said. "It is magical spring, created by Nayru herself. Demon and dragon were evil creatures, both wanted Jusenkyo's powers for themselves. Thus, they were fighting over who could absorb it for himself. But she couldn't allow that, so she intervened herself and made the water of an uncursed spring rise out of it and surround the two fighting creatures. Before they could do anything to free themselves, they drowned in the cursed spring water, which Nayru then lowered back into its spring."

He was speaking the truth, only that this wasn't the spring Nayru had used to stop the fighting behemoths... that spring was at the other end of the valley and still bigger than this one. But Ganondorf didn't need to know that.

Ganondorf laughed. "I know the story, vermin, you do not have to bore me with the details. Do you think I wouldn't have informed myself about this place before coming here? This spring not only contains Nayru's powers, but also those of the dragon and the demon... and they will be mine!" And he stepped towards the spring.

"Master!" Kodachi gasped. "You don't want to curse yourself, do you?"

"Of course not!" Ganondorf explained and held out his right palm. "I will absorb the powers with my dark magic. I certainly don't plan to hindermy plans with a bothersome, chaotic curse like this."

A wave of darkness came out of his palm and upon touching the surface of the spring, made its waters glow in the same, eerie, purple light. Ganondorf closed his eyes and groaned while he absorbed the powers.

"Yes..." he murmured. "That's it, Veran... power! Pure, magical power! The only force I believe in!"

The Jusenkyo Guide knew that right now, the magics of Jusenkyo were increasing the King of Evil's already dangerous powers, but at least he managed to trick the Gerudo King into choosing this spring... it had the least amount of magical energy from all the springs in the valley. Had he allowed Ganondorf to steal power from the true demon/dragon spring, it would have made him into a truly fearsome creature...

The guide sent a quick prayer to his goddess and asked her for her forgiveness...

----

Deep below Kakariko... in a gloomy, damp tunnel underneath the earth... a ghostly figure was floating through the darkness.

"I know I've seen it down here..." Happosai murmured. "And I want it back! It was mine long before Cologne-chan stole it from me... and she was so beautiful back then..."

The perverted Poe sniffled a bit when he remembered the good old times. His own youth... Cologne's beauty... sneaking into the Gerudo Fortress... the underwear of the desert thieves...

He sighed. "Aaaahh, yes, those were the good old times..." Then he frowned. "But I still would never forgive them for taking my dearest treasure from me. With it, I was able to see everything... invisible treasures... hidden hideouts... attractive ghost ladies..." Again, he swooned. "How could you do this to me, Cologne?" he sobbed. "My Lens of Truth... how could you take them from me? Who knows what kind of horrible things you and the demented twins have done with it during all those years?"

Happosai continued to search around. "But I know it must be down here somewhere. That pink-dressed Poe girl - and what a cutie she was - told me she found it in here."

He also remembered how she wanted to keep it for herself, calling it pet names without even knowing what its powers were. Happosai shook his head in disbelief. "Well, good riddance that she took off after her first visit down here. I wonder what made her so afraid, though..."

He floated around another corner, his little lantern shining through the darkness. Sometimes, he saw some Keese or a Wallmaster, but as he was a creature of darkness himself now, they would never hurt him. Those monsters only preyed on the living.

He stopped to gaze at the picture of three golden triangles in the floor, in front of a huge stone face that was pouring water down into a narrow channel from its mouth.

He scratched his head. "Somehow, this symbol looks familiar..."

"There you are!" somebody shouted behind him. "See, I knew I saw him floating down here, Nabiki!"

Happosai turned around and saw those pesky little Sheikah girls standing in front of him. "Ah, it's you again! What do you want?"

"Don't play dumb, Happosai!" Nabiki huffed. "We want you to stay out of Kakariko forever! Stay in your grave or wherever you want to, but stop peeking into the women's bedrooms at night!"

"You heard her," Akane added. "You old pervert!"

"Akane-chan, is it so bad that an old man wants to be friendly to the females?" Happosai asked in an innocent voice. "What's so wrong about giving them an innocent hug?"

"You can't hug them, idiot, you have no body!" Nabiki reminded him while rolling her eyes.

Happosai sighed. "I know, I know," he groaned. "But it reminds me how it has been back when I was still alive... do you want to take that feeling away from me?"

"Yes," Akane simply replied as she whipped out the chain, a standard weapon for all Sheikahs. "Now get out of here before I have to hurt you, ghost or not!"

"Not before I have claimed what rightfully belongs to me," Happosai protested. "And you girls are a few hundred years too early before you can possibly think of defeating me!"

"We'll just see about that, creep!" Akane grumbled.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps made all three of them turn around in surprise.

"Well, well, well," the voice came out from behind the iron helmet. "So we meet again, after all these years, Sheikah scum... I am not surprised that I would find you here, though, sneaking around in the darkness like rats..."

The Tendo sisters didn't need to see the face of the heavily armored knight to recognize his voice. "Kuno..." Akane growled as she turned around to face him. Nabiki did the same. Perverted ghost or not, the dark general was clearly the bigger threat to them and Kakariko.

"The name's ONOX!" the corrupted knight thundered while stomping on the ground. "Remember that name well, Akane Tendo, because it will be the name of your executor!"

"Big talk, Kuno-baby!" Nabiki sneered. "Both you and us know that underneath all that armor, you're still the spineless little wimp."

"Silence!" Onox roared. "You will pay for this insolence, Nabiki Tendo!" While he kept his eyes on the two Sheikah sisters, his right hand reached for the handle of the weapon which was wrapped around his upper torso... a huge, metal ball adorned with spikes which was attached to a long iron chain.

"Looks like you have a lot of catching up to do..." Happosai murmured as he hid behind a pile of debris. "Go right ahead, I won't be a bother..."

"Evil Sheikah, today is the day you're gonna DIE!!" the dark general shouted as he twirled around his morning star - not an easy feat in the narrow tunnel - and threw it at his enemies.

Nimbly, the sisters dodged the deadly attack. "Too slow, Kuno!" Nabiki yelled and pelleted him with throwing darts. They all harmlessly bounced off his heavy armor, though.

"I could have told you that wouldn't work, sis..." Akane grumbled. "How did you find us anyway, Kuno? If you laid one hand on the villagers..."

"Those peasants?" Onox roared with laughter. "They hardly mean anything to me. If anything, they need protection from your kind. I simply observed you from afar as you climbed down into this old well. And now you are trapped like rats..."

"Hardly..." Akane snarled and whipped her chain around his head. Onox grumbled in annoyance and tried to remove the bothersome object from his neck. Akane pulled with all her might, but she just couldn't move the colossal fighter.

"Nabiki, come and help me!" she wheezed. Nabiki jumped over to her younger sister and pulled as well.

Happosai watched with fascination as the battle had turned into a deadly version of tug-of-war. "I really wonder if I should help them..." he murmured to himself. "They really are cute girls... and maybe they will be grateful..." He scratched his chin. "Then again, they DID want to throw me out of the village... and that guy looks pretty strong himself. Maybe I'll just wait who the victor will be. All I want are the Lens of Truth, after all..."

A sudden groan coming from the stone face behind him made him turn around his head. "Huh? Did I hear anything?"

"Whoooo is there?" a deep voice grumbled.

Happosai sweated. "I know that voice..." he murmured. If he still was alive, he would have sweated by now. "But that can't be..." He looked over to the fighting trio, but they were still too occupied and hadn't heard anything.

"Yooouuuuu..." the voice grumbled. "Happosai... you dare return after all you did to me?"

The Poe chuckled nervously. "Heheheh, fancy meeting you down here... I was really wondering what Impa did to you after I defeated you in fair combat..."

"FAIR COMBAT???" the disembodied voice shouted. "You used dirty tricks to bind me to this statue... only because of that reason was that Sheikah wench able to imprison me here, at the bottom of the well... I should destroy you where you stand!"

Fortunately, Happosai knew that was an empty threat. As long as the demon was still captured within the stone statue, he could never escape by himself. As long as the statue was intact, he would be imprisoned forever.

Still, when he remembered the beast that was the owner of that voice... after all, it was really just an accident that he beat the monster that used to threaten Hyrule. He almost died that day...

"I'm not s-scared of you," he finally said. "I'm dead anyways. And as long as you're in that stone, you can't lay a hand on me, so there!"

"NABIKI, WATCH OUT!" Akane's voice suddenly echoed through the darkness. "I can't hold him any longer!"

"Meddlesome Tendo brats!" General Onox roared. "DIE!!"

Happosai barely had time to quickly hover to the cavern's ceiling, when the dark general's massive weapon came flying out of nowhere, hitting the stone statue and smashing it into thousand little pieces.

Happosai gulped. "Oh no..."

He watched as a dark, flickering shadow swept over the floor. It crept over the walls and the ceilings, while the evil voice snickered in a demented way. "Yeeeesss..." it hissed. "FREE AT LAST!"

"What the...?" Nabiki shouted in surprise. "What the heck is going on here? What kind of creature did you sick on us, Kuno?"

"I didn't do anything, wench!" Onox snarled. "Stop your impudent accusations!" He carefully watched how the creepy shadow moved along the walls. "What sorcery is this..." he grumbled.

"Yes sorcery indeed, strong warrior!" the hidden demon laughed. "But I can see that darkness has tainted your heart as well... unlike those other mortals I see. I suppose I should feast on them first... and then, I have my revenge on Happosai... but what's this?" The strange voice seemed surprised. "I smell the delicious scent of mortal souls, right above my head... after all these years of imprisonment, this will be a feast!"

"What is this thing?" Akane yelled. She was clearly afraid, much more afraid than from Onox.

"Whatever it is, we can't let it reach the village," Nabiki shouted back. "Hurry, it's moving towards the exit..."

"Stay here and fight me, cowards!" Onox demanded. Again, he started to swing his morning star around.

Nabiki yelped when the spiked ball embedded itself into the wall next to her head. "Stop it, Kuno!" she screamed. "We've got to stop that thing, whatever it is! Do you really want it to slaughter all those helpless humans up there?"

"No doubt that beast only has arisen because you summoned it, servants of hell!" Onox shouted.

"Are you stupid or what?" Neither Akane or Nabiki had said that. It was Happosai, who finally had come out of his hiding place. "That is the Shadow Beast itself, the dreaded Bongo Bongo!"

"Bongo... who?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" the old Poe yelled while waving around his lantern. "That demon is a killer and devourer of souls! Only per chance have your mother and I been able to seal it into that statue all these years ago... and now you clumsy blokehead had to wave around your little yo-yo and smash it into pieces! Now don't just stand there, you have to stop it before it reaches the surface!"

"Silence, you cur!" Onox grumbled. "Never will the king's general listen to the petty lies of an evil spirit like you!"

"Open your eyes, Kuno!" Akane yelled. "Ganondorf already has Poes in his army, can't you see you're being used?"

"It's no use, Akane!" Nabiki said as she pulled her sister's arms. "Let him stay here if he wants to be stubborn... we have to take care of a bigger problem. Onox at least doesn't want to kill all the villagers."

"You are right..." Akane nodded and followed her sister as she ran back to the entrance.

"Come back here, cowards!" Onox shouted as he ran after them.

"Fools, fools, they are all gonna die if they don't work together..." Happosai murmured. "And when Bongo is finished with the village, he'll come after me... and not even being dead will save me this time... for a demon who devours souls, I am nothing more than a light snack..."

He looked back into the tunnel and pondered. Should he go and look for his beloved Lens of Truth? What if this was his last chance?

"Aw, heck..." he groaned. "What am I doing? I need to get out of this place!" And he quickly floated after them.

----

"Finally..." the demonic voice whispered. "Sunlight... it has been too long since I've seen the sun..." He laughed maniacally. "And it will be the last thing my victims will ever see." The shadows continued to glide along the floor.

"Not so fast, you monster!" Akane shouted as she came leaping out of the darkness. "You're going nowhere!" She pulled a Deku Nut out of her pocket and threw it at the shadow.

The shadow stopped. "Is that some sort of joke?" the demon hissed. "You girls may be Sheikahs, but you don't even know how to banish a spirit or demon. At least Impa was a challenge to me... you would never be able to harm me!"

"Oh yeah? Well, Impa's my Mom, and she trained us, so you better watch out!"

"Oh reeeaaaalllyyyyy?" the demon snickered evilly. "Is that true, you are her daughters? Well, in that case, maybe I should take you as a starter before I go up to the other mortals... revenge is a dish best served cold, indeed..." And the shadow turned around and headed into their direction.

"Smooth move, Akane," Nabiki frowned. "You just had to blab that out, right?"

"Well excuuuuse me, Nabiki!" Akane grumbled. "And what now? I don't suppose Mom has ever taught you anything about sealing a demon, did she?"

Nabiki shook her head. "Nope! And up to now, it never had really been necessary..."

They backed off while the demonic shadow drew closer and closer...

"Fresh sooouuuullssss..." the demon whispered.

Nabiki gulped. "Well, this is it... it was nice knowing you, sis..."

"TRAITORS OF THE CROWN!" a booming voice shouted from behind them. "This will be your end!"

Onox' attack missed the two girls again, but instead, the heavy metal ball smashed against the ceiling directly above their heads. Boulders and pebbles started to rain down on them.

"Kuno, you idiot!" Akane yelled. "You wanna bury us alive?"

"No..." Bongo Bongo whispered when he realized that the ceiling near the exit was starting to collapse as well. "NO!! You won't imprison me again!"

Happosai zipped past the shocked girls and shouted: "What are you waiting for? Hurry and get out of here! The earth itself will imprison him if we make haste!" And he flew past them, towards the entrance. Sunlight was a bother to all Poes, but he gladly preferred it to anything that awaited him down here.

Onox groaned when a big stone came crashing down on his helmet, stunning him for a moment. With a groan, he shook his head, realizing that this really hadn't been the best move..."

"Come on, Akane, let's get moving!" Nabiki shouted. Together, the two Sheikahs ran towards the shaft of the well.

"NOOOOOOO!!" came the angry voice of the demon as two tendrils of dark energy came shooting out of the creeping shadows. "I will have my revenge!"

"Nabiki!" Akane yelped when the two tendrils wrapped themselves around her arm and leg. "It got me!"

"Hang on!" Nabiki shouted as she grabbed her sister's free arm. She pulled with all her might. "Damn, if only Ryoga were here right now..." she winced. "I could use a guy with his strength..."

"You don't need anyone, you're strong enough!" Akane told her sister. "I know you can do it... we can do it together! We are Sheikahs!"

Nabiki looked at her sister's determined face and finally nodded with a smile. They looked back at the dark beast that was still trying to pull them back into the tunnel, where they would be buried alive. A single, gleaming red eye appeared in the shadows. "There will be no escape..." the demon hissed.

"You ready?" Akane asked her sister. Nabiki nodded. Together, they counted: "One... two... THREE!"

And together, they managed to pull Akane free from the demon's grasp. Without hesitation, they turned around and ran.

"NO!!" Bongo Bongo roared while the rubble continued to rain down on him. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Akane pulled her sister over the edge of the well, just as a huge cloud of dust came out of the deep shaft. Coughing, they carefully looked back down. When the dust was settling down, they could clearly see that the tunnel was blocked with rubble. Only Din herself would probably be able to uncover the secret tunnels underneath Kakariko village.

Happosai came floating down next to them. Landing on the well's edge, he looked down with satisfaction. "There! Not even the most powerful demons can free themselves when being trapped by the earth itself. May Din's force seal him in there for all eternity."

Nabiki frowned when she saw the old ghost. "You know, we still have to throw you out of the village..."

Happosai shrugged. "Whatever... I guess I'll go back to my grave for now... For today, I'm glad that I am still alive. Um... you know what I mean. See ya girls later!" And he floated away, towards the graveyard.

"Shouldn't we go after him?" Akane wondered.

"Leave him be for now," Nabiki said. "We can always take care of him later." Together, they looked down into the well again.

"You think... Onox is still down there?" Akane asked.

"Who knows?" Nabiki shrugged. "Being Ganondorf's servant, he might have his ways to escape. But maybe we're lucky enough and we're rid of him for good..."

"Sounds too good to be true..." Akane sighed.

----

The huge, armored general sat in the darkness, barely able to move an inch while sitting within the collapsed rubble from the ceiling.

"My master most certainly would be willing to take you into his services," he said in a calm voice. "Pledge loyalty to him, and not only will you be freed from this prison, but we will also help you take your revenge."

The evil, red eye was glowing in the darkness. "Very well..." the hissing voice replied. "We have a deal..."


	19. It's Hammer Time!

Link hefted the heavy hammer in his hands. "And this thing... has been made to kill Volvagia?"

"Any dragon, actually," Darunia said. "As most dragons have a hide of thick scales, normal blade weapons can't penetrate them. Not even the powerful fists of a Goron would help... but the Megaton Hammer is sturdy and heavy enough. Still, there's only one point where it could actually hurt the dragon... it's only vulnerable point..."

"Where?" Link asked.

"His face," Darunia said.

"This Volvagia..." Ukyo pondered. "Where does it come from, anyway?"

"Volvagia is an ancient menace," Ryoga grumbled. "My people fought him long before I was born."

"That is correct," Darunia nodded. "My grandfather told me the story when I was a little boy. Volvagia was a tyrant, an evil dragon, born in the magmas beneath Death Mountain, and he wanted to rule us all. He also was the one that forced us into war with the Gerudos."

"That true," Shampoo said in surprise. "Great-grandmother told me that ancient Goron war was caused by evil dragon king of Gorons."

"But we Gorons never wanted it this way," Darunia insisted. "Most were just too scared to resist him. Until one day, a skilled smith and craftsman decided that enough was enough. He skillfully created the Megaton Hammer, the only weapon that could slay Volvagia."

"And it was sensei's ancestor who defeated him in the end," Ryoga grinned.

"Yes," Darunia nodded. "But now the monster has returned, resurrected by Ganondorf's black magic, as an undead abomination, and he has sworn to take revenge on all Gorons."

"Wouldn't Volvagia see Ganondorf as competition?" Tatl asked.

"Maybe," Ryoga shrugged. "But it seems like he is loyal to him at this point. Maybe he is just grateful that the Gerudo king released him."

Darunia laughed. "That beast, grateful? Certainly not! I rather suspect that Volvagia knows when someone has more power than yourself, so he has no other choice than to serve Ganondorf for now. It wouldn't really surprise me if at this moment, he's already plotting the dark king's downfall."

"That would take care of a few problems..." Ukyo pondered.

"I'm afraid we can't allow that," Link said. "If he plans to kill all the Gorons as revenge, we must kill him! There's no other way!"

Darunia nodded. "Yes, and you should be the one to do it."

"But... why me?" Link wondered. "I can see that Shampoo and Ukyo are not strong enough to lift this thing..."

"Hey!" an irritated Gerudo warrior and okonomiyaki chef snapped.

"...but what about Ryoga? He's a strong Goron, he can carry it."

Ryoga shook his head. "I never learned to use any weapon," he said. "I'm afraid I would just drop that thing... I prefer to fight with my fists!"

"Then it is settled," Darunia nodded. He walked up to Link and put his hands on his shoulders. "I'm counting on you, young warrior!"

"Well, okay..." Link sighed. "Somehow, I always turn out to be the hero who saves the day..."

"Don't worry, Link!" Ukyo grinned. "I think it suits you."

----

"They are coming, you know that?"

Volvagia blinked in irritation as the fire hag hovered above his head, once again. "So? They don't mean anything to me. They can't hurt me with their feeble weapons. I will crush their bones."

Koume's brow twitched. "You know, they have found the Megaton Hammer."

"They did?" Volvagia asked in a surprised voice. Then, he shrugged. "Whatever... Darunia is too exhausted to fight me, and I doubt anyone out of his bloodline will be able to handle this weapon as skillful as his ancestor did. I am in no danger. Let them come!"

"Well, you seem pretty convinced that you really can handle them all... very well, but I will stay here, in case you need some assistance."

"Did you not hear me, woman?" the dragon roared. "I don't need any help! No go away and leave me be, witch!"

Koume gritted her teeth at his outburst. "You will pay for that, dragon! You should have killed the Sage of Fire when you had the chance! Let this be a warning to you: If you don't kill him when he arrives in your chamber... I will not come to save your hide! You will be a traitor to our case!" And she turned around her broom and flew away.

"Irritating old hag..." Volvagia grumbled. "Does she really think I'm afraid of her and her foolish master? They are just humans... they are NOTHING compared to me!"

----

"Th-thanks for busting me out of there, buddy!" Coro panted as he came out of his cell.

"I always help a friend in need," Ryoga smiled. Then he looked past his Goron friend into his cell. "Say, this chest is much bigger than the ones we found in the other cells..."

"Yes, the Gerudo witch brought it in here soon after I was imprisoned," Coro nodded. "There wasn't even a lock on the bars, so the key inside the chest was of no use to me."

"Lemme take a look..." Ukyo said as she opened the chest and looked inside. She then took out the golden, shiny key. "Yup, looks like the dungeon's Master Key, all right!"

"Just like in the Forest Temple," Navi nodded. "So, where's that dragon?"

"Beyond the western chamber," Darunia explained. "With the key, you should be able to enter. But beware his powers, young ones!"

"What, you not coming?" Shampoo asked in surprise.

The Goron leader smirked. "I am getting too old for this, girl! The last battle with Volvagia, followed by the escape from the Flare Dancers, took too much out of me... I'm exhausted... I need some rest."

"Stay here and we'll take care of everything, sensei," Ryoga said as Darunia slid down the wall and sat on the floor. "Coro, could you stay here and make sure he'll be all right?"

"Yes, no problem!" the other Goron nodded.

"Then let's go," Link said as he grabbed the hammer's handle tighter. "We have a dragon to slay..."

----

A narrow bridge lead the four warriors across a pool of lava. In the middle of that pool, a circular island of stone was situated. Several craters were scattered across its surface, steam and bubbles coming out of them.

"Here we are," Ukyo said and looked around. "But where's the dragon?"

"He must be hiding..." Ryoga grumbled. He then shouted out loud: "Volvagia! Come out, you spineless worm of a dragon! Are you too scared to face us all?"

Suddenly, one of the craters started to erupt violently. Flames and sparks came shooting out of it, until finally, the ugly head of the dragon came shooting up into the air, followed by its long, serpentine body. A mane of flames was trailing behind his skull, and his eyes were gleaming like two pieces of green coals.

"Scared?" the dragon roared as he circled above their heads. "I'll give you something to be scared about, little Goron!" And he exhaled a huge flame that whooshed over their heads and set the suspension bridge aflame. Within seconds, the whole bridge was burnt to ashes.

"Well, crud!" Ukyo growled. "Now he has us trapped."

"Yes, indeed!" Volvagia laughed. "Trapped like rats! And you will be glad when this is over, because I shall make your deaths painful and slow..."

"This guy talks too much!" Tatl grumbled. "Link, how about teaching him some manners?"

"Good idea!" Link grinned and took out his bow. He took aim and shot an arrow at the flying dragon. Of course, it couldn't penetrate his thick, scaly skin, but it made him visibly upset.

"How dare you, puny Hylian?" he angrily roared. "I'll make you pay for this!"

He spat another lance of fire at the heroic foursome, and Shampoo, Ukyo and Ryoga quickly rolled out of the way. Link, on the other hand, just raised his metal shield. It protected him from the fire, but the searing heat made him wince. When it was over, he looked up just in time to see the dragon flying at him.

"DIE, VERMIN!" Volvagia screeched as he slashed at the brave Hylian with his claws. Link ducked underneath him and raised his arms in surprise when the dragon disappeared in one of the many craters around him.

Nervously, he jumped back to his feet. "Wh-where is he?" he muttered.

"Careful, Link!" Navi shouted. "Keep your eyes on those craters!"

Link nodded while sweat was pouring down his face. He tightened his grip on the Megaton Hammer when the crater in front of him began spewing sparks and flames.

He was very surprised when the first thing that came out of the hot depths was not Volvagia's head, but his blazing mane. Link skipped over it and saw how the dragon's ugly skull came out of the crater.

"Puny mortal!" he roared. "Die already!"

"Not a chance!" Link yelled and swung the Megaton Hammer over his head, bringing it down on Volvagia's thick skull...

----

Unbelievable pain was shooting through Volvagia's head when the heavy steel hammer was coming down on him. He remembered that pain too well. All those years ago... he felt it just seconds before the ancient Goron hero slew him.

He was starting to panic, and in his fear, he scrambled out of the crater he was in, not even realizing that it would be much quicker and safer to fly. "No..." he muttered. "No... anything but that... I DON'T WANNA DIE!!"

"See?" a cackling voice came from above his head. "All of this is just because of your stubbornness... I should let them kill you, you mangy excuse for a fire-breathing lizard!"

Shampoo gasped. "E-elder Koume..."

"I'm getting to you in a minute... traitor!" the fire witch spat. "I should have known that Cologne's spawn would be nothing but trouble to us... especially since the same happened with her aunt..."

"Auntie Nabooru?" Shampoo shouted. "What have you done to her?"

"I'll let you question her anytime you want, Shampoo..." Ryoga growled as he cracked his knuckles and stepped forward. "But this witch and I have a score to settle..."

"Don't make me laugh, foolish boy!" Koume snickered. "Still, I'm not your enemy... the dragon is! So, why don't you take out your anger at him?"

"Please..." Volvagia begged while he dragged his miserable hide across the floor. "Don't let them kill me... they've got the MEGATON HAMMER!"

"And whose fault is that?" the witch screamed. "I know I'm just too generous... but Lord Ganondorf wants the Gorons to die. And I mean ALL of them. So..." She raised her hands and muttered an ancient spell, and sparkles of red came raining down on the crouching dragon.

Suddenly his eyes flared up again. Link, who was still standing close to him, stepped back in surprise when the dragon reared up with a mighty roar. He drew back his head and then spat another plume of scorching hot flames at the heroes.

"Get back!" Link yelled and raised his shield. Once again, it barely protected them from the intense heat.

Volvagia roared again as he rose up into the air, a crazed gleam in his eyes.

"That's better!" Koume cackled. "Now he's nothing more than a mindless beast... and beasts always have been easier to control. Now kill them all, my pet!"

The undead dragon answered with another roar that made the whole room shake. Boulders came dropping down from the ceiling, and Ukyo barely managed to dodge one.

"This is getting too intense," she gasped as she rolled back up to her feet. "Shampoo, what did she do?"

"Gerudo warriors know nothing about Elder spells..." Shampoo winced. "They are very protective of their secrets... not even Great-Grandmother told Shampoo anything about them..."

"He's still a dragon we have to slay," Link shouted as he raised his hammer. "As soon as he comes back down again, I'll just pound him again!"

"How are you planning to do that?" Ryoga asked, then he winced as a heavy boulder dropped down directly on his hard head. "No one of us can really fly..."

"I have an idea," Link said and ran over to his Goron friend. "But I need your help."

"Okay... what do you want me to do?" the Goron asked.

Link whispered something into his ear, and Ryoga's eyes widened. "That... might just work," he finally admitted. "But... you know that is very dangerous... and risky! If I miss..."

"You'll do just fine!" Link smirked. "Ukyo told me what you did with that Dodongo, so I trust in your abilities."

"Whatever you two are up to, you better hurry, or else all of us are toast!" Ukyo yelled when the dragon dove down for another attack.

"Okay, here goes nothing..." Ryoga grumbled. He reached for Link's Goron Tunic, grabbed it tightly... and began spinning the young Hylian around and around.

"Heeeere weeeee GOOOOOOO!" he shouted as he let go of Link, throwing him through the air... so that the Hero of Time landed directly on Volvagia's face.

The undead beast roared with fury and tried shaking Link off his head, but Link held on tightly. The intense heat of the dragon's fiery mane made him wheeze, but he kept a firm grip on his hammer.

"End of the line for you!" he shouted, raised the hammer and slammed it down on Volvagia's head, once again.

The dragon screeched and roared with pain as he stumbled blindly through the air, continuing his swooping flight path towards Link's friends.

"Look out!" Ukyo shouted, and she, Shampoo and the fairies dove to the side.

Ryoga, however, was just a little bit too slow...

He gasped in surprise when the massive dragon head slammed into him, sending him rolling towards the edge of the platform... and down into the pool of liquid lava below them!

"RYOGA!" Ukyo shouted. "NO!!"

Link never noticed how Ryoga fell into the lava, however. He gritted his teeth when Volvagia's body flew higher and higher up into the air.

"Time to let go..." he grumbled. He gulped when he realized how long his fall was going to be. Still he let go of his rampaging ride, let go of the hammer during his fall, rolled up while reaching the ground and came to his feet safely.

High above him, the undead bane of the Goron tribe was still squirming with pain, while his whole body started to burn away. The fire from his mane and inside of his body was eating away his undead flesh and burnt him down to a skeleton, whose parts came clattering down next to the heroes, one after another.

In the end, only the dragon's heavy skull was left... and it fell down next to Link with a loud crash. The green fire inside the creature's eye sockets started to dim... and then they grew dark, while the skull dissolved into ashes.

Link sighed. "That's the end of that..." He then noticed how his friends were all looking over the edge of the platform. "Um, guys? What are you doing?" He then noticed something. "Um, where's Ryoga?"

Ukyo looked back at him, tears in her eyes. "Ryoga, he... he fell down... into the lava..."

Link paled. "Oh no..."

Navi sniffed. "N-not even a Goron can withstand the heat of molten lava... nor can he swim back up to the surface. He... he's just too heavy..."

Evil laughter made them all look up in surprise. They almost forgot about the Gerudo witch. Koume was hovering above them, holding her broom like a scepter.

"Fools, that's the fate of everyone who dares to oppose the mighty Ganondorf... and now it's your turn!" She pointed the tip of her broom at them. "You may have defeated that ugly lizard Volvagia, but I am an Elder of the Gerudo clan... I won't be as easy to beat!"

Shampoo growled as she raised her scimitars. "You just wait and see!" she yelled.

----

Ryoga blinked. A gentle light was surrounding him. "I'm... dead?"

"Not yet, young hero!" an amused voice spoke to him. "But your friends need your help more than ever."

Ryoga noticed that he was lying in a strange place, on top of a hexagonal platform, surrounded by circular emblems that were decorating its surface. On two of these circles, someone was standing. An old man in a wide robe... and a young girl in the green garments of the Kokiri.

"You have been very brave, Ryoga," Saria smiled. "Without your help, my friend Link would have never been able to beat the dragon. Thank you!"

Ryoga stood up in confusion. "Wh-where am I?"

Rauru spread his arms. "This is the Chamber of Sages in the Sacred Realm... and we welcome you as one of us."

"Me? A sage? But I always thought that..."

"That your mentor was the Sage of Fire?" Rauru smiled. "Yes, Volvagia and Koume thought that as well. But Darunia always knew what destiny would await you, and he kept it a close secret from anyone. And he stepped back from his duty to slay the dragon... because he knew that the Hero of Time, together with your help, could do the job much better."

"But you must hurry," Saria said. "Take the medallion to your feet and help your friends."

Ryoga looked down. "The medallion...?" Indeed, there was a small, red medallion lying to his feet, just at the edge of the red, circular emblem he was standing on himself. He picked it up... and was amazed at the amount of information that was flooding his simple mind.

"I... I see..." he finally murmured. "So, this is my destiny... okay! I will do my best to help Link and Ukyo on their quest. But first..." He furrowed his brow. "I have to chase an evil witch out of my temple."

----

"Think we can beat her?" Tatl asked nervously as the witch charged up a spell.

"Maybe..." Ukyo murmured. "I mean, we also beat that dragon, didn't we?" But she didn't sound too certain herself.

"This is your end, dirty rebels!" Koume screeched when her spell reached its full power. "DIE!"

Bust right after she launched her fire spell, a red light appeared in the middle of the room, blinding her so much that she had to shield her eyes.

A powerful Goron warrior had appeared in front of his friends. He raised his arms, and the deadly fire spell dissipated just before it could hit its mark.

"Ryoga!" Ukyo shouted with joy and surprise.

Ryoga stared up at the Gerudo witch. "You won't use fire against us in these sacred halls," he growled. "You will leave this place... and tell your evil master that the Gorons will NEVER surrender to him!"

"You insolent fool!" the hag yelled. "I take no orders from you!" And she shot another lance of fire at him.

But again, the fire could not harm him. "It's no use," Ryoga calmly said. "As the Sage of Fire, no flame may ever harm me."

"What now, witch?" Link smirked as he aimed his bow at her. "Still have some tricks left?"

"Or do you wanna take us on all by yourself?" Ukyo grinned as she took one of her small throwing spatulas.

Koume was seething with rage. "You... once the Great Ganondorf finds you, you will pay for what you did!" And in a cloud of fire, she vanished.

Ryoga turned around to his friends. "Ryoga!" Ukyo was amazed. "What... what happened? The lava... we all saw..."

She gasped in awe when he showed her the Fire Medallion. "Seems like I am the Fire Sage you've been looking for," he smirked. "Oh, and Link? Your friend Saria says hi!"

Link sighed. "And all the time we believed that Darunia was the one..."

"Wait..." Shampoo murmured. "Sheikah warrior told us sage would wait for us in temple... but Ryoga no was in temple when he told us."

"Maybe he meant to say that in the temple, the Fire Sage will find his destiny," Navi assumed.

"That's what I figured as well," Tatl nodded. "So let's just be happy we found the third sage."

"But Ryoga," Ukyo said. "Does that mean you won't come back to Goron City with us? What shall we tell Yoiko?"

"It's not like I'll be gone forever," Ryoga said. "As soon as Ganondorf is finished, I will go home again... but for now, the circle of sages needs me. The more we are, the more can we support you with our powers. For now, I have to return to the Chamber of Sages... and guys?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Link asked.

Ryoga smiled. "Thank you for saving my sensei... and all of my tribe!" And in a flash of red light, the new Sage of Fire vanished.


	20. Among the Castle Ruins

The area was a scorched wasteland. Where the beautiful park of Castle Hyrule had been, the gruesome pillar that was Ganon's towering fortress was rising, surrounded by a bubbling moat of lava.

Behind it, shrouded in a cloud of smoke that came rising from the hot lava, carried north by the cold winds that were blowing over the black earth... were the ruins of Castle Hyrule.

Not much of the main castle was left, the original moat had no longer water flowing through it and was filled with rubble. A sizeable hole in the outer wall was making a new entrance next to the collapsed main gate. Behind it, the ruined main courtyard was situated.

Of the once beautiful marble benches, only one was still intact. On it, a dark woman with pale, turquoise skin was sitting, clutching a torn booklet she had gathered from the ruined castle.

The Sorceress of Shadows narrowed her eyes. Most of the old ink had turned illegible over the years, and many pages were missing. Still she recognized the book as Princess Kodachi's old diary...

She came to an intact page and started to read eagerly.

'...has the wretched servant Akane Tendo still forgotten to bring me my perfume set. I swear, I don't know why I tolerate her antics anymore. I tried to convince father that we would be better off without these unfaithful Sheikah, but he wouldn't listen. And of course, my sister agreed with him.

My sister... beautiful, loveable Zelda... I'm starting to wonder what it is that makes her so special. She is adored by every male resident of this castle, father included. It's not like I see her try to look as gorgeous as me. She never even puts on makeup in the morning. Still, most of the soldiers in the castle ignore me. Even my darling Mikado has...'

The page ended there, and the next following pages were missing.

"Arrrrgghh..." Veran grumbled. "Not at the most interesting part... dangit, but I can see why my past self has loathed Zelda like that. And today, she's turning out to be more troublesome than ever. If only we could find her... my master is sure that with her knowledge, we can find the last remaining Triforce holders."

She closed the book and smiled. "But why am I worried? My master is more powerful than ever, now that he has absorbed the magic of the most potent spring in the valley of Jusenkyo. And as soon as he has acquired the rest of the Triforce... he will be the most powerful creature alive!"

She closed her eyes and sighed in bliss. "And then... he'll make me his queen..."

"Do you really think he'll be THAT generous after your failure in the Forest Temple?" a gruff voice spoke up behind her.

Veran turned around and showed the armored general behind her an angry grimace. "Do not lecture me, Onox! I haven't seen you capture these rebels that dare opposing our warriors. What have you done, while I had the honor of accompanying our master on a very special mission?" She didn't even try to hide the proud grin on her face.

Onox's face stayed emotionless behind his iron mask. "I found... a new ally!"

"An... ally?" Veran asked in a mistrustful voice. "I don't think anyone YOU dug up will be formidable enough to be of any use for our lord."

"Mock me as much as you can, former princess," the general said. "It doesn't change the fact that I met a being with powers and knowledge that might benefit Lord Ganondorf even more than I originally thought."

"And who would that be, PRIVATE Kuno?" Veran hissed. She was angered when he called her with her old title, so she made sure to emphasize his former position in the king's army before he became Ganondorf's general.

Onox made his hands into fists. "I see you remember more and more from your former life..." he grumbled. "I'll have you know that the creature I found is an ancient demon, a Shadow Beast that was imprisoned by Impa Tendo herself."

"I could take on that old woman by myself!" Veran hissed. "So he can't be that powerful!"

Onox smiled behind his mask. "You know as well as me that this isn't the truth. Back when I was still a soldier in the former king's army, I had even trouble defeating her daughter, Nabiki. You can figure out how formidable her mother must be."

"Whatever..." Veran frowned. "Did you come here to gloat or is there a special reason? If not, then leave me alone already!"

"I did not know you would be here to reminisce about the past," the general told her. "I have come here because Lord Ganondorf told me to bring him something that must still be here in these ruins. If you are not too absorbed in that book, you can make yourself useful and help me."

Veran almost told the dark general to jump in a lake, when she realized that the one who brought Ganondorf this item he was seeking would gain more of his praise.

"Very well..." she reluctantly sighed. "What are we searching for?"

"An old blade!" Onox explained. "A weapon that was used in the battle when this castle fell..."

"Why would our lord send you to find something like this?" the Sorceress of Shadows wondered. "And what is so special about such an old sword, anyways?"

"He intends on using this to tighten his hold on a creature that is under his control... it might be loyal right now, but our master knows that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor."

"Well, I don't know why he needs this blade for that, but if he wants it, I shall bring it to him... I mean, WE bring it to him, of course!" She smiled maliciously.

"Of course..." Onox muttered.

----

In the depths of the Water Temple, Ruto awake from a deep slumber. Her sleep had been uneasy and was filled with unpleasant dreams about her people, but at least she had been able to get some rest.

She was still bound, of course. She looked up and saw her captor sitting in the same position she had seen him when she had lain down to sleep.

"Hey!" she shouted. "What about some breakfast here?"

The dark shadow did not respond.

The princess sighed as she sat up in a more comfortable position. "At least bring me some water. I'm thirsty, and my skin had never been as dry as this.

The creature that had introduced himself to her as Dark Link stood up and glared at her with his deep, red eyes. He then grabbed a bucket and hurled it across the room.

Ruto yelped when the bucket nearly hit her head. Her body was sprinkled with the water that was inside. "Hey!" she shouted angrily. "That could have hit me!"

"I am not here to feed you, Zora!" the shadow hissed. "I need you alive, but I don't have to keep you healthy. So shut up, if you want to stay in once piece!"

"If I am such a bother, you can always untie me, and I'll leave you alone to... whatever you are doing... creep!" she spat. "You haven't even slept, have you?"

"I am no longer a living being..." Dark Link growled. "I don't sleep. And I don't eat. I just am." He paced around the room. "The only thing that drives me on is my deep hatred for the boy who slew me... and I won't rest until I have repaid him..." He raised his dark blade and looked up at it. "With THIS sword, I will impale his heart... and offer it to the Great Ganondorf on a plate."

"Yuck!" Ruto grimaced. "You are revolting! Say, if you are dead, how come you look like Link? And don't start with that crap that he killed you, I know my Link wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Is that so?" Dark Link glowered. He ran up to his prisoner and brutally dragged her upwards by her arm. "Well, then I advise you to take a look at THIS!" he roared and tore his black tunic open.

The skin beneath it was as black as the rest of the evil creature, but there was also a gaping wound running across his chest, as blood red as his eyes.

"As a shadow, I don't bleed anymore..." Dark Link hissed. "But still, the wound that killed me remains." He took his sword and held it up to the trembling Zora's neck. "And why do you think this blade has the same width as this scar? I created this copy after the sword that did this, so I could one day do the same to him."

He threw Ruto back to the floor, sheathed his sword and closed his tunic. After throwing his prisoner a last, hateful glare, he sat back in his corner and stared at the wall.

Ruto sobbed to herself while she was lying on the wet floor. The water from the bucket felt fresh on her dry skin, but it also stung in the grazes Dark Link created by throwing her down like that. Her tears dropped down to the floor while she curled up in a fetal position.

'Ranma...' she thought to herself. 'Link... anyone... get me out of here...'

----

"Here, Ranma!" Yoiko said as she put a bucket of water down in front of the pig-tailed martial artist. "Your father and I got this from the hot springs on Death Mountain. I let it cool down, so you and Genma have something to drink."

Ranma smiled. "Thanks, yer a nice girl, Yoiko."

"Ryoga's friends are my friends as well," the Goron girl smiled.

Ranma chuckled when he imagined what Ryoga would say if he heard that. After scooping up a bit water and drinking it, he asked her: "Where's my old man anyways?"

"He's outside, beating up a few Tektites," she grinned. "He said he'd need that to 'unwind'. He also says that you're an ungrateful son, since you refused to spar with him."

"Heh, I have to listen to that all the time," Ranma smirked. "I would have sparred with him, but you know, I had a few things on my mind... things I needed to think about."

Yoiko sat down next to him. "You mean what Ukyo-san told you right?"

"That too," Ranma admitted. "But I also thought about my Mom and my little sis... I kinda feel bad for leaving them behind like that."

He scooped up some more water, but stopped himself before he drank it. "You know what, I should wash myself, too. It's been some time since we left Kokiri Village, and I can imagine that I'm starting to stink like a pig..." And he splashed his face with the cold water.

Yoiko chuckled when she saw how the muscular, young man turned into a beautiful Zora girl. "I don't know how your father and fiancee have gotten used to your curse... I mean, it's so crazy... I could never imagine being a Zora."

"Yeah, I guess Gorons are even more different from the Zoras as we Hylians are," Ranma smirked. But suddenly, that smirk completely vanished from her face. What was that... strange feeling?

"Ranma?" Yoiko asked. "What's the matter?"

"S-something's wrong..." Ranma muttered. "Sis... she's in danger... Mom... the lake... Zora's Domain..." She clutched her head. "Where did these images come from?" she winced. "They are in pain... it's so cold... no, don't hurt my sister!"

"Ranma!" Yoiko gasped and jumped to her feet. She ran over to the stove and took a kettle with hot water, splashing it all over Ranma's trembling form.

Ranma managed to calm down again after returning back to his male, Hylian form.

"What... what happened?" Yoiko muttered. "You really gave me a scare there..."

"Ruto..." Ranma muttered. "And Mom... they are in danger!" He jumped to his feet. "Where's Pops? We need to get back to Zora's Domain! NOW!"

----

Shampoo, Ukyo and the fairies followed Link outside, where Darunia and Coro were already waiting for you.

"You did well, young heroes," the Goron leader smiled. "Look above you!" The others followed his gesture and saw how the fiery ring that had surrounded the volcano was once again replaced by a ring of clouds. "The evil has left this place, and the dragon is slain. My people are free again, thanks to you. You have my gratitude."

"Thanks, just doing our job," Ukyo grinned. "But say, Darunia... did you know that Ryoga was destined to become the Sage of Fire?"

Darunia stroked his chin. "So that's why he didn't come back out with you..." he murmured. "No, I did not know that. I knew that the Fire Temple is a holy place created by the goddess Din, and that the Sage of Fire is responsible for protecting this place. And you say Ryoga has become the new sage? Well, this is a surprise..."

Ukyo looked at the chief's face and saw how proud he was of his student.

Just then, Darunia remembered something. "Yoiko... where is my daughter? Ryoga wouldn't have left her all alone when he followed me into the temple..."

"You no worry, Ranma is back with Yoiko and panda-man," Shampoo explained. "Your daughter is in good hands, Elder Darunia."

"Well, that's good to hear," Darunia smiled. Then he frowned. "Say, you are a Gerudo aren't you?"

'Uh-oh,' Shampoo thought. 'Here we go again...'

"You have problem with that?" she asked.

"Of course not!" Darunia answered quickly. "I am just surprised. Ganondorf has been the only Gerudo who has put his foot on this mountain for years, I just wasn't expecting one of your tribe to help us like this. But seeing that you did not just help me, but also all of our people, you are more than trustworthy in my eyes."

That made Shampoo smile. "Thanks. You is not too bad for Goron either."

Darunia laughed. "Well, maybe this is the first chance for members of our races to get to know more about each other. But first, we should leave this place. This is still a volcano, and I know how sensitive you Non-Gorons you are to heat. I invite you to stay with us at our town, where the other Gorons will probably want to show you their gratitude as well."

"Good idea!" Tatl sighed. "You heard the man, let's get out of here! I have the feeling I'm gonna turn into a barbecue fairy if I stay here for much longer."

And so, they followed the Gorons back to their city.

Link realized that going back meant meeting up with Ranma again, and he feared that Ukyo might still hold that dangerous grudge against him.

"Say, Ukyo..." he carefully asked her. "Don't you think you should try and forgive Ranma for what he did back then? I mean, it's obvious he didn't know what he was doing, and his father..."

"Don't you start that now!" Ukyo hissed. "And thanks for destroying my mood. I wasn't trying to bring up all that negative stuff right after we fought through the temple. I can't forgive him, don't you see? Even if I tried, I will always remember the grief he and his father caused. My father is dead because of them, don't you get it? If not for them... he would still be alive!"

"I know that," Link said. "But, Ukyo... I doubt that was what Ranma wanted. I believe that if he knew what was going on, he would have never agreed to act like his father wanted."

"You can't understand me," Ukyo whispered. "You never knew your parents... and Ranma... I doubt he'd understand how I feel either, not until he realizes how someone feels whose family is gone..."

"OUT OF MY WAY, POPS!"

"Boy, don't be a fool! You don't know if they are really in danger, that was just a dream..."

"It wasn't just a dream, I saw them suffer! Let me go, or I'll kick your ass!"

"What in Din's name is going on there?" Darunia grumbled as they approached the back entrance to his chambers, which connected Goron City with the crater.

"That sounded like... Ranma!" Navi said.

Yoiko welcomed her father with a massive hug. "Daddy, you're safe!" she sobbed. "I was so worried..."

"Now, now, I'm back and everything is all right. Well, maybe... what is going on here?" he asked again.

Ranma and Genma were standing in front of each other and glared at each other dangerously.

"I'm stopping my son from doing something foolish," Genma explained without really looking at the Goron leader.

"Damn you, old man! Don't you get it? If I hesitate much longer, Mom and Ruto will die!"

"Airen, what is it?" Shampoo asked. "Your sister and mother are safe in Zora's Domain... how you know they in danger?"

"I felt it," Ranma tried to explain as he looked at his fiancee. "When I turned back into a Zora, I... I felt Ruto's thoughts, somehow. Don't ask me how, but... I could feel that she was in danger. Not just her... all of Zora's Domain is in trouble. And I need to get back to help them!"

"Just storming out there is foolish, Ranma!" Genma shouted. "You know General Onox is after us... do you want to step into a trap he and his henchmen have prepared? A good martial artist uses his head before he strikes."

"Something you would know nothing about, Pops!" Ranma grumbled. "I swear, if you don't get out of my way, I'm gonna..."

"That's enough!" Darunia shouted in a commanding tone. "I will have no squabbles in my chambers! As chief of the Gorons, I demand that you either calm down and let us think about this problem together... or you go and take it outside!" And his rocky finger gestured at the exit.

For a while, Ranma really looked like he was going to take his anger out on Darunia now, but then he winced and sat down on the ground.

Shampoo sat down next to him. "Airen, be strong," she whispered. "If mother-in-law and sister Ruto are in danger, Shampoo will help you save them."

"Yeah, me too," Link nodded.

"Me three," Tatl spoke up.

"You can count on me, too," Navi smiled.

Ukyo didn't say anything. She was torn... one part of her wanted to feel pity for Ranma, while the other part still wanted to strangle him for what he did.

'I said he couldn't know how it is when everyone in your family is dead...' she thought. 'But, would I really wish something as horrible as that for anyone? And what if he truly feels sorry for what happened? What should I do? He is responsible for my father's death...

But he also called me cute...'

Ukyo shook her head. "Fine," she finally sighed. "I'll help you, too."

Ranma looked at her in surprise. "Ucchan?" he asked.

"Now don't give me that 'Ucchan' yet," Ukyo grumbled. "I'm still mad at you. But it would be wrong to let your family suffer because of that. I'm ready to help anyone who is suffering from Ganondorf's cruelty."

Ranma smirked and nodded. "Good enough for me," he finally said before turning back to his father. "Well, Pops? Do you still think it's foolish to go? In that case, you'll have to stop four fools from leaving."

"Hey, why do you guys always forget to count us fairies?" Tatl asked. "We're people, too."

"So you think we're fools as well?" Navi snickered.

Genma just glowered at them. "You know that it could be a trap, son," he finally said. "That hag Koume is not the only one of Ganondorf's servants capable of using magic... what if they just fooled you with those images?"

"I won't take any chances, Pops," Ranma told him in a fierce voice. "As long as I know that Mom and sis could be in danger, I'm gonna go and save them. And besides, if anyone tries to stop me, I'm just gonna have to kick his butt."

"And Shampoo help," the amazon said.

Genma sighed. "Fine... I still think it's foolish to go just because of some silly dream, but if you want to go... I guess I'll have to come along. Besides, Nodoka would never forgive me if one of her children is in danger because of my choices..."

"Then I guess it's settled," Link said. He turned to Darunia. "I'm sorry we can't accept much more of your hospitality, but we have to leave again."

"Yes, we should leave now," Ukyo agreed. "The longer we wait, the more dangerous it will be for Ranma's family."

"I understand," Darunia nodded. "And I wish you good luck on your further quest." To Ranma, he said: "As for you, I hope you will save your family in time. From what I was being told, you and your father protected my Yoiko while I was away, therefore you will always have the support of the Goron people."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Ranma replied. "Say, could we have a few supplies? I mean food, water, and whatever we could need..."

"Certainly, my boy! Coro, please bring these youngsters whatever they need for their journey."

"Right away, chief!" the Goron nodded and left to get the needed supplies.

"I really hope we'll make it in time..." Ranma sighed.

"If we go quickly, we will be back at Zora's Domain in a few hours," Genma said.

"I think I know of a much faster way to get there," Navi pondered.

"What way, Navi?" Link asked his fairy friend.

"Well, we used an ancient teleporter to travel from the woods to the Death Mountain... but I have heard of another teleporter in the woods, one that is supposed to take you directly to the source of all the water in Hyrule... And both you and me know about that place, right?"

"Of course!" Tatl shouted. "Zora's Domain!"

"In that case, we would only need a few minutes to reach your home, Ranma," Link smiled.

"That would be great," Ranma said. "Maybe we can make it in time. Still I have this weird feeling... as if something terrible already happened..."

'Hang in there, Ruto, Mom,' he thought to himself. 'I'm on my way.'


	21. The icy chill of winter

Tatl shook some water out of her hair, dress and wings. "Well, it certainly beats getting your wings singed off in a volcano... but that doesn't mean I like getting soaked like this, you hear me?"

The others were wading out of the little pond in which the teleporter back to the Lost Woods was situated. "Don't complain," Navi said while wringing out her wet hair. "We're not here on a pleasure cruise, we're here to save Ranma's family."

Ranma - or rather Ranko, as he had changed into his female Zora form - was already running up the slope until she stood in front of the big waterfall behind which her home was situated.

Ukyo opened her palm. A tiny snowflake came floating down from above and melted in her hand. "Say, old man... has it always been this cold here?"

"No," Genma murmured as he looked around. "No, never! What's going on here? It's so cold..."

Link was already pulling out the Ocarina of Time to play Zelda's Lullaby. By using the magical powers of the song, he wanted to tell the waters to let them through.

"That's not necessary," Ranko said and held out her hand. The waters parted, and revealed the entrance to Zora's Domain.

A breeze of even colder air blew past them, making them shiver. Ranko was getting more and more worried.

"Airen, you all right?" Shampoo asked her currently female fiance.

Ranko didn't reply. "I have a bad feeling about this..." she murmured. "And I mean a REALLY bad feeling!"

Link looked at the entrance and back to Ranko. The Zora princess was still hesitating.

"Maybe we should..." he started.

"No!" Ranko then suddenly said. "The water... it's not flowing anymore..."

Ukyo looked at the waterfall. "Uh, Ranma, what are you talking about? If you can't see, the water is still flowing down into the river and..."

"Not that water!" Ranko shouted. "And call me Ranko when I'm in this form! I'm talking about the water in the cavern... and Zora's Spring!" She gasped. "Something must have happened to Lord Jabu-Jabu! Quick, follow me!"

She leapt right through the waterfall, followed by Shampoo. Ukyo and Link looked at each other, shrugged and followed them, their fairies buzzing right behind them. Genma gave off a sigh and jumped in as well.

They met up with the two girls in the great main cavern of Zora's Domain. Ranko just stood there and stared down at the emptiness of the cave.

And the thick layer of ice that was covering everything. The frozen waterfall inside the cavern... and the Zora that were trapped underneath the ice.

"No..." Ranko mumbled. Her legs felt shaky. "No... this can't be..."

"Oh, Airen..." Shampoo subbed while hugging her fiance. "Shampoo so sorry for what happened..."

"Holy shit..." Ukyo murmured while letting her gaze sweep across the ice. She had never been here before, but she could recognize a scenario of horror when she saw one. Genma was just as horrified as she.

Link slid down onto the hard surface of the cavern pond and walked up to the frozen waterfall. He saw the frozen image of a young Zora boy who looked like he had tried to get out of there when the ice came. His hands were raised as if he was pleading for help. Link held up his hand and pressed his palm against the hand of the boy. But the thick ice still separated each other.

"What happened here?" he wondered, horrified by what he was seeing. He had been horrified when he heard what Volvagia wanted to do to the Gorons. He had been horrified when Saria's life was in danger. But this... never could he have imagined something like this.

Ukyo walked up next to him. "How... how could he?" she whispered. A tear was running down her face when she looked at the trapped child. "Ganondorf... he has gone too far!" Her sadness was replaced by anger. "This... this is genocide!"

"No..." Navi said softly. Link and Ukyo looked at the blue-haired fairy in surprise. Navi was touching the ice as well. Her eyes were closed. "I can still feel their life energy... even if it's very weak."

"They are alive?" Ranko shouted in surprise. She jumped down onto the frozen pond, nearly slipping on the slick ice. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Navi nodded. "They are alive, but they are trapped. For them, it must be like living through an endless nightmare..."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ranko yelled in an agitated voice. "We need hot water! Fire! An ice pick! Anything!" She ran up to Link and rummaged through his bag.

"H-hey!" Link protested, but the upset Zora princess did not listen. She took all of their Deku Sticks and knelt down in front of the waterfall, where she piled them up. She took two of the wooden sticks and rubbed them against each other feverishly. But not even a single spark was produced.

"It's no use, boy..." Genma said sadly. "It's too cold to make a fire..."

"No, no, NO!" Ranko yelled and continued rubbing the Deku Sticks until her scaly hands were getting raw. With an angry sob, she dropped the useless sticks. "Damn you, Ganondorf!" she screamed. "Damn you to hell!"

Suddenly, Shampoo gasped. "Airen! The king and queen..."

Ranko froze. Her heart felt as if it was turning to ice, just like all of the water in Zora's Domain. "No..." she whispered.

She jumped to her feet and ran off, leaving her friends behind. "Ranko!" Link shouted. They followed her as she ran through the cavern, up the slopes and past the frozen entrance of the Zora vendor, until they arrived in the throne room.

When they arrived, Ranko was standing on top of the same platform she had been standing on when she came here for the first time. Back then, she had been welcomed by her mother and her new husband, the king...

Queen Nodoka and her husband, King Zora, were staring out of the ice they were trapped in. Nodoka's hand was reaching out for her child, as if she knew Ranko was here.

Genma sunk down to his knees. "Oh no..." he murmured. "Oh, No-chan..."

Ranko felt as if her frozen heart would shatter in thousands of pieces. "Mom..." she murmured. She stumbled off the platform and walked across the chamber, until she arrived at the huge ice block the king and queen were trapped in. Her hands brushed over the smooth, cold surface. The ice was giving off a strange, red sheen. Ranko leaned against the ice and closed her eyes. The tears that came out of her eyes instantly froze into tiny shards of ice that fell down to the floor, where they shattered.

"Ranko..." Ukyo said.

Ranko didn't open her eyes. "What do you want?" she whispered. "I lost everything... leave me alone..."

Ukyo walked up to the Zora princess and put her arm around her shoulder. Ranko did not react.

"Ranchan..." she said softly. "I am sorry... I am so sorry for what I said to you. I admit, I hated you... I hated you because I blamed you for what happened on that day. But never... never did I want you to live through the same thing. Never!" She gave the Zora girl a hug from behind. "Ranchan... I am so sorry... and I am sorry for your mother..."

Ranko was silent for a moment. "Ucchan..." she finally murmured. "Do you really mean that? Do you really forgive me?"

"Yes, I do," Ukyo sobbed. "And if there was any way to save your mother and all of your people, I would do it right away!"

That made Ranko sniffle again. "But... but what can we do?" she cried. "We can't free them... we can't even make a fire! There is nothing we can do..." Her shoulders shook while Ukyo was still holding her. "Nothing at all..."

"Actually..." Navi spoke up.

Everyone looked at the blue fairy. "Yes?" Link asked.

Navi raised her finger. "There might still be a way to save the Zora. Have you ever heard of the legend of the 'Blue Fire'?"

"Can't say I have!" Link shook his head. Tatl and Shampoo were confused as well.

Genma then stood up. "A blue flame that never goes out, capable of melting any ice, no matter how cold... even magical ice..." he muttered.

"You heard about it?" Navi asked in surprise.

Genma walked up next to his son-currently-daughter and touched the red ice. "This looks like a black spell was used to create it..." he murmured. "And if I am correct, there are only two ways of making this ice melt: Either the sorcerer who created it lifts the spell by himself, or it must be exposed to Blue Fire."

"How do you two know that?" Link wondered.

Navi smiled. "The Great Deku Tree told me many legends when I was a child..."

"I heard the legend from my wife," Genma explained. "And she learned it from her husband... her new husband, I mean."

Ranko looked into the eyes of her frozen mother. "You said she is still alive, right?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm sure of that," Navi nodded.

"Did your legend also say where to find this Blue Fire?" Ukyo asked.

"Well, they say that Din gave it to Nayru as a present... and the goddess told her most trusted servant to hide it well."

"And which servant would that be?"

"Don't tell me..." Ranko looked up at the fairy. "Lord Jabu-Jabu?"

Navi nodded. "Yes, Lord Jabu-Jabu!"

Ranko slapped her forehead. "I knew I forgot something!" she cursed and ran past the red ice block.

"And here she goes again..." Ukyo sighed, following her childhood friend.

The air over the spring was as cold as the inside of the cavern, but only a part of the spring pond was covered with ice. Ice floes were floating in the freezing water.

And Lord Jabu-Jabu... was gone!

By now, Ranko was shaking like a leaf. "That... that can't be..." she stuttered. "Where is he? Where... WHERE IS HE? He can't be gone!"

Link looked at his fairy companion with an inquiring look. But Navi shook her head. "I'm sorry... I can't feel his life force anywhere."

When Ukyo carefully took Ranko's hand, the princess turned around and collapsed in the arms of her friend. With the protector of the Zora gone... what hope was left?

Shampoo felt hopeless as well. She wanted to console her Airen, but she didn't know how she could do that. Genma was shaken by what happened to his wife, and the fairies were as stunned as their friends.

Suddenly, a comforting melody filled the chilly air. Ranko looked up from her friend's shoulder. It was like the sweet melody was warming her heart, consoling her and filling her with hope.

Shampoo looked around and blinked when suddenly, a feather landed in front of her feet. She took it and looked up. She gasped and gestured at one of the pillars that were standing around Jabu-Jabu's former resting place.

Sheik was standing there, playing a wonderful tune on her harp, filling their hearts with confidence. Not even Tatl didn't have a snappy remark in mind.

Sheik stopped playing and looked down at them.

"Time passes, people move... Like a river's flow, it never ends... A childish mind will turn into noble ambition... Young love will become deep affection... The clear water's surface reflects growth. The song you just heard was the Serenade of Water - use it to reflect upon yourselves."

Sheik put her harp away.

Ranko swallowed. "Do you... do you know what happened? Did you see what caused this?"

"I am sorry, princess of the Zora..." Sheik said while lowering his head. "When I came here, most of your people were already trapped. I managed to rescue your younger sister in time, but... she left for the Water Temple."

"WHAT?" Ranko yelled. "So Ruto's all right? But... whatever is she doing there?"

"This ice is created by an evil curse," Sheik explained. "The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the curse." She gestured to her left, where they could see the entrance to a cave. "If you seek the Blue Fire, it is hidden in there. But it alone will not be enough to free all of the Zora. Unless you shut off the source, all of this ice will never melt... If you have courage enough to confront the danger and save the Zoras, there is still hope. The melody I just taught you will bring you to the temple..."

Link pulled out his ocarina. Yes, this song really was something special... it had driven away the cold for a while. He would never forget it.

"Please..." Ranko stepped forward. "Tell me: My sister... is she all right?"

Sheik didn't reply immediately. "If you hurry, you can still save her," the mysterious warrior finally replied. "For now, I'll have to bid you farewell."

She looked at Link and Ukyo. "Heroes of Time... I'll see you again."

And then she vanished in the bright flash of a thrown Deku Nut.

"We have to save Ruto," Ranko said in a determined voice. "But first, I need to get into that cave... I want to see if I can find some Blue Fire. At least Mom and the king should be unfrozen."

'I'm sorry, sis, but try to hold on just a bit longer, okay?' she thought to herself.

"Sounds good to me," Link said. "But how should we get across that cold lake?"

"That easy," Shampoo said and walked up to the edge of the lake. She then skipped onto one of the ice floes that were drifting on the lake's surface.

"Well, if she can do it, so can I..." Ukyo murmured and hopped after the Gerudo.

"Hey, wait for me!" Link shouted. The floe the two girls were on had already drifted farther away, so he jumped on the next one that came past him.

Ranko turned around to face her father. "Pops... please, stay with Mom and the other Zora and make sure that nothing happens to them. I don't think Ganondorf would do anything, now that they are frozen, but who knows what dirty trick he's up to... and even though you said that red ice could not be destroyed, I want to be on the safe side. I never asked you for something... but now, I beg you, please protect Mom!"

Genma looked into the eyes of his transformed son and finally nodded. The person in front of him might be a beautiful Zora princess right now, but he knew that inside, she was still his son. Besides, he still loved Nodoka, no matter if they were married or not.

"You have my promise, son! Now you promise to hurry and find that fire. I won't let anyone go near Nodoka or the other Zora as long as I'm around."

Ranko smiled. "Good. I knew you'd be good for something, ya big ol' flying bear..."

Genma rubbed his face with his sleeve. "I must have something in my eye..." he muttered. "Now why are you still standing here? Go on and don't you come back without that fire!"

Ranko nodded. "You got it, Pops!" And she elegantly dove down into the freezing cold water.

By now, the two ice floes had floated across the lake and reached the other side, where the cavern was waiting. Shampoo and Ukyo skillfully jumped over into the entrance tunnel. As soon as his own floe was next to the entrance, Link wanted to jump as well, but he slipped and nearly fell down. Ukyo managed to grab his arm just in time.

"Hey, be more careful there," she scolded. "We don't want you to turn into a Hylian popsicle."

Link rubbed his head. "Sorry, Ukyo, but I have never seen so much ice before. Back in the forest, the winters were cold, but not this cold. And the only ice we saw was the tiny pond in front of the item shop."

"Yeah, I know," Ukyo smirked. "Tael used to ice-skate on the frozen pond, do you remember, Tatl?"

Tatl sneezed. "I only know that I always hated that time of the year," she sniffed.

Like a living torpedo, Ranko came bursting forth from the water. She gracefully landed next to her friends.

"What are you waiting for, let's go!" she insisted and ran ahead into the Ice Cave.

----

General Onox and Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, walked up to Ganondorf's throne and knelt down. In the general's hands, he was holding an old and rusty sword, which he was offering to his master.

Ganondorf took the blade and smiled. "Well done, my loyal vassals! Good to see that you are devoted to my cause after all."

"My lord, I would never betray you," Onox said. "Being able to serve you is an honor that can only be repaid with loyalty."

"Well said. And what about you, Veran? Does knowing about your past hinder you from being an obedient subject?"

"N-no, of course not, my lord!" Veran quickly assured him.

Ganondorf took the blade and walked across the room, where he carefully put it on a table. "Listen, this sword once belonged to one of the defenders of this castle," he spoke. "He has passed on long ago, but his vengeful spirit has been haunting the ruins of Hyrule Castle for a long time. When I found him, he told me who was responsible for his death. He had been able to cling onto his feeble existence because he possessed his mortal enemy's shadow... and using the Triforce of Power, I granted him his only wish: He desired to have a body, so he could take vengeance on his killer. Thus, he became a creature of darkness, a copy of the boy whose actions caused the soldier's death. And now he is waiting inside the Water Temple for his time... still, he never pledged loyalty to me, so I needed his own blade to tie his dark soul to mine. This way, I can make sure that he will serve me in all eternity."

"You aren't talking about... Dark Link, my master?" Veran asked in surprise.

"The very same," Ganondorf said.

"But... if he possessed his killer's shadow, then... does that mean... the man... no, the boy who killed him was..."

Ganondorf turned around and nodded. "Yes. It is none other than our so-called 'Hero of Time', the boy who grew up to be a man... Link!"


	22. Growing up is easy

Close to each other, both for warmth and safety, the small group walked across the snow-covered floor and underneath the icicle-covered ceiling.

After a while, they reached an intersection.

"Which way?" Ukyo asked. "Left or right?"

Ranko shrugged. "Dunno. One's as good as the other."

"Shampoo scout ahead," the purple-haired Gerudo warrior said as she ran down the left tunnel.

"Then I'm gonna take a look at the other tunnel," Link said. "Be back in a minute."

"Hey! Wait for me!" Navi shouted as she fluttered after him.

"Um, I'll go and see if Shampoo needs any... light, yeah, light, be right back..."

And she was gone.

All of a sudden, Ukyo and Ranko were standing all by themselves.

Ranko nervously folded her hands behind her back. "So, Ucchan... you, um, lived with the Kokiri? How did that work out for you?"

"Well, I..." Ukyo was hesitant, but she figured it would be no deal to tell Ranma about her life in the forest. "Quite good, actually," she said. "I had a real great time with them. Link and Saria are my best friends - you haven't met her, she's a real sweetie - and the Great Deku Tree protected us all... that is, until he died..." she sadly murmured.

"Oh... sorry to hear 'bout that," Ranko blushed, which looked funny, since she was turning a deeper shade of blue. "So, was he, like, your guardian or something?"

"That's what I just said, doofus!" Ukyo chuckled sadly. "He's the father of the Kokiri and the fairies, and every time a Kokiri is born, he appoints a guardian fairy that watches over the Kokiri. In exchange, the Kokiri keeps the fairy fed and protects her from harm. Over the time, they'll become the best friends you could imagine."

"But you and Link are Hylians, so why...?"

"Tatl and I always have been pretty close," Ukyo explained. "And Link, well, he's a special case: We never knew he wasn't a Kokiri until the Deku Sprout told us."

"Deku Sprout?"

"Yeah, he's the new sprout of the Deku Tree and was born from his remains. Over time, when he grows bigger, he'll be able to protect us like the old Deku Tree did."

"Oh, that's... good to hear. Say... don't you think the same could happen to Lord Jabu-Jabu?"

"The whale?" Ukyo asked. "Oh, he's your guardian as much as the Deku Tree was the guardian of the forest, I take it?"

"Yup, that's right," Ranko nodded. "Sis always cared for him before... well, ya know..."

"I... dunno..." Ukyo admitted. "Since he's a deity, anything is possible... maybe Nayru will give him a second chance, just like Farore gave the Deku Tree a chance."

Ranko smiled. "That would be great."

"So, you're their princess, eh?" Ukyo snickered. "Poor Ranchan, I always remember how you told me you'd be the most powerful martial artist when you grow up, and now you're the princess of the fish folk..."

"Hey, I'm still strong!" Ranko protested. "I've been training every day with Pops, and Shampoo taught me some Gerudo tricks as well. Besides, Sis is gonna inherit the throne, since her pops is the king and all. But that's okay, all I wanted is being the best fighter and havin' a family... and with Pops, Mom and Sis, I can have both."

"It's all right, I was just teasing you," Ukyo grinned. "Hey, if you want, we can have a match against each other, I mean, as soon as things have calmed down a bit... just like in old times! What d'you say?"

Ranko smirked. "Sounds good!"

Suddenly, when looking into Ranko's azure eyes, Ukyo felt how all the anger and hatred she had loaded upon her shoulders over the years fell off like an invisible weight, and for the first time, she really felt happy to see her childhood friend again.

"I'm so sorry, Ranchan!" she sobbed. "I thought so bad about you, even though terrible things have happened to us both... c-can we still be friends?"

"Ucchan, I never saw you as anything else," Ranko smiled. "So you were pretty ticked off, no big deal! I would have felt the same way if I were in your position, I guess. But now that that's over... no hard feelings?"

Ukyo wiped a tear out of her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, no hard feelings!"

Suddenly, Link, Shampoo and the two fairies came back from both sides at once.

"Hey, I found something!" Link shouted. "Looks like a frozen treasure chest..."

"Shampoo found Blue Fire!" the Amazon said in an excited voice. "Now we can save Airen's family... but is in big cave with many monsters. Airen help Shampoo fight?"

Ukyo shouldered her spatula and smirked at Ranko. "Looks like we've got work to do, Ranchan! Let's take down those monsters and bring the Blue Fire back to Zora's Domain."

"Sounds like a plan to me, Ucchan!" Ranko smirked back.

And when they walked past their friends, Link and Navi exchanged a satisfied smile.

"Well, aren't they the happy couple..." Tatl muttered as she put her hands on her hips. "I hope she hasn't completely forgotten about me... "Yo, 'Ucchan'! Little fairy companion, back here! Could you wait?"

"Then hurry up, you slowpoke!" Ukyo shouted back.

Shampoo giggled. "Good to see they all get along, yes?"

----

Cologne landed on top of the Desert Colossus, in which the former residence of Lord Ganondorf was situated: The Spirit Temple.

Ever since Ganondorf's new castle was constructed by the use of dark spells and hordes of evil creatures, these halls had become frighteningly quiet. Only the occasional of a guardian monster came up from one of the lower levels.

The huge conference room was devoid of any life, the two resting places of the twin witches were empty. Cologne sighed when she imagined the scenes that had taken place here.

Flying across the huge central platform, she left the room and proceeded downwards to the big guard room at the bottom of the stairs. In here, something that could very well be the heavy armor of a tall knight was resting on a chair made of bricks. Motionless as a statue, it stared into the emptiness of the room with a heart as cold as steel.

But that was just the outer facade. Deep within the hardened shell of the Iron Knuckle, a soft voice was pleading for mercy without actually speaking out loud.

Cologne stood in front of the metal colossus and looked up at its helmet with pity. She pulled a tiny bag out of her wide robes and then made a sweeping gesture with her hands.

With a loud clatter, the helmet of the huge knight fell down to the floor, revealing the tormented, but beautiful face of a Gerudo warrior.

"Please, elder..." she pleaded. "No more..."

"Be still, child," Cologne said to the woman who was one of her granddaughters. "You can be thankful that I am bringing you food and water at all. The orders were to keep you trapped inside that shell for all eternity. I can't free you without going against the king's orders. And if they knew I was doing this, they would most probably put me into a similar position. Now hold still..."

Nabooru sighed. It wasn't like she could do anything else. From below her neck, her whole body was still immobilized, trapped within the sturdy armor of the Iron Knuckle. And when Cologne put on her helmet again, she would once again be the same as the normal Iron Knuckles were: A mindless guard of pure brute and strength who had to follow every single one of its orders.

Cologne hopped up onto the former Gerudo Captain's shoulder and gave her food and water. Nabooru was humiliated by being fed like a baby, but she was thankful for the nourishment. Within the armor, she didn't need to eat, drink or sleep, but it was a meaningless existence, and even though nothing of her magical-induced strength suffered from it, she had to endure hunger and thirst, but could not die. It was true torture, reserved only for the worst criminals and traitors among the Gerudo.

When the bag was empty, Cologne hopped down to the floor again. "I must leave you now," she said in a sad voice. "The soldiers are getting restless again and I am awaiting new orders from our king every day."

"Don't you see that most of us don't want this king anymore?" Nabooru asked her grandmother. "Keep this up and rebellion is bound to follow."

"Be quiet, child!" the elder witch hissed. "You don't know what you're talking about. And even if it was true, they wouldn't dare. Ganondorf has his army of darkness on his side."

"That won't stop them," Nabooru insisted. "You seem to have forgotten what fighting means for a true Gerudo: The own life is meaningless when she strives for freedom and honor! Most of us don't really see the difference between the times before and after Ganondorf's conquest of Hyrule. We are huddled together in the desert, just as we did aeons before, while the only guards our king needs are his undead abominations. Even Shampoo ran away... do you WANT our race to be doomed?"

"STOP!" Cologne yelled with such a fierceness that Nabooru was taken aback.

The elder was staring at the ground. Her hands clutched her broom tightly, but they were still trembling. "It is too late," she whispered. "There is nothing we can do... we can accept our place in this new world order or perish at the feet of Ganondorf!"

She looked up at her granddaughter with a resolute stare. "Ganondorf's laws must be obeyed. Everyone who doesn't is marked as a traitor! And traitors must be punished!"

"Even if it's your own blood?" Nabooru asked in a very quiet voice. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Even... Shampoo?"

Cologne didn't reply. She also didn't say anything when she used her magic to levitate the helmet back up to Nabooru's head.

Once again, all Nabooru could see was the cold inside of her metal prison... and life became empty and meaningless again!

----

Saria was crouching in one corner of the Sage Chamber and let out a quiet sigh.

Ryoga came walking up behind her. "Hey, what's wrong, kid?"

Saria looked up at him with a reproachful expression. "Please do not call me that. I am one of the oldest Kokiri. By your calculation of time, I'd say I am even a bit older than you."

Ryoga winced. "Sorry. But it's kinda hard to tell, ya know? I mean, all of you Kokiri look like children, after all..."

"Well, to tell the truth, most of us aren't really different from Hylian children..." Saria murmured. "Don't get me wrong, we are all friends, almost like one huge family, but... they are always so childish. I can have fun, too, but... nobody is really acting very responsible, not even Mido. And sometimes I am amazed that we haven't been eaten by forest beasts. After the Great Deku Tree died, more and more monsters appeared in our forest, and it was getting harder to make sure that nobody did anything reckless."

"Sounds like you saw yourself as their leader, huh?" Ryoga asked.

The Kokiri girl nodded. "Yes, I mean, someone had to take responsibility. Mido never did anything but to complain and make others do what he wants. The Know-it-all-brothers may be wise, but they tend not to take action when things are getting serious. I tried my best to help everyone, but... it was so hard..." She sighed again. "Sometimes, I wish I wasn't a Kokiri..."

"But you aren't, aren't you?" Ryoga pointed out while sitting down next to her. "I mean, I was born as a Goron and I'm happy with it. And you, well, you've been born as one of the forest children. And being a leader can be hard, Darunia told me so, but to know that you can keep all of your friends is worth it, or isn't it?"

"I don't know..." Saria murmured. "I guess you're right, but... that's not the only reason why I would like to be a Hylian."

"You wanna talk about it?" Ryoga asked her.

She nodded. "I knew that Link was a Hylian all along, and I knew he would have to leave the forest some day. I tried to accept it, but the more time went by, the harder was it to accept it. We were best friends, you see, and we rarely did anything without each other... but I think that over time, I developed more feelings to him." She chuckled in embarrassment. "Love isn't really a foreign concept for the Kokiri, contrary to what many people like to believe. But mostly, that love is the love you would feel for a brother or sister. My love... I think that it was something else."

Ryoga nodded, he could sympathize. He knew how it was to love somebody and the other one never really knew. If only he could tell Akane...

"But then he went and left the forest," Saria sobbed. "And just because he's supposed to be the Hero of Time? It's not fair! Seven years! Seven years I had to wait for him, and when he returned, he had become a grownup man, while I was still the same little girl... I wish... I wish there was a way to show him that I am as grownup on the inside as he is."

"That is not quite correct," a gentle voice behind them spoke up. Saria and Ryoga turned around to see Rauru standing behind them. The old man smiled at the Kokiri girl. "When Link touched the Master Sword, he and Ukyo got trapped in time for seven years. Their bodies may have matured, but their minds are still the same from back when they came into the Temple of Time. But I'm not going to say that I don't understand your yearning of becoming a Hylian."

He then nodded to himself. "Very well, I guess it can't be helped... if you want to go to the cursed spring Princess Zelda fell into, I won't stop you. It is your decision."

"A-are you certain?" Saria stammered.

"For sure?" Ryoga asked in surprise. "I mean, aren't we supposed to stay here because the Temple of Light is the only safe place that Ganondorf can't reach?"

"Yes, it is," Rauru nodded. "But do you believe that Ganondorf would want to visit Jusenkyo again, now that he believes to have absorbed its most powerful spring? And I can feel that the pain in Saria's heart is becoming harder and harder to endure. And while keeping all of us safe is the most important thing, I still won't have any of my fellow sages being tortured like that."

"So you mean it?" Saria asked hopefully. "I can really really go?"

"Yes, you can go," Rauru smiled. "But you must understand that we cannot join you. Take care that nobody sees you and come back as soon as you can."

"I will! I will! Thank you so much!" Saria said, a big smile on her face. She stood up from the ground, shook Rauru's hand gratefully and gave Ryoga a short hug. She then stood upon her own emblem of the forest and closed her eyes, preparing for the spell that should bring her close to Jusenkyo.

"Farore's Wind!" she shouted, and the green gusts of air circled around her, magically transporting her away.

Ryoga sighed. "I really hope we did the right thing..."

"Have faith in her," Rauru smiled. "There is a reason why she was the one who awoke as the Sage of the Forest. She is a canny expert of survival, and I doubt she'll let her desires blind her from any danger."

----

Surrounded by the winds of her goddess, Saria appeared at the edge of Jusenkyo Valley. She opened her eyes to take in her surroundings, then she smiled when she saw all of the springs around her.

"I am actually here," she said, full of excitement. "Now how do I know which spring is the right one?"

"Aaaaah! Help!" somebody near her shouted.

Saria gasped. "Oh no! Somebody's in danger!" And she ran in the direction the voice came from.

She reached a tiny cottage... or rather, the collapsed remains of a cottage. A portly man was frantically waving around a long stick to defend himself from the three ugly Dekus that were surrounding him.

"Y-you stay away from me!" he shouted.

The ugliest of the three Deku women cackled. "You really think we'd listen to a fat Hylian like you? Now give us all of your rupees, and we might let you live! Or else my beautiful daughters and I will pound you with Deku Nuts!"

When the Jusenkyo guide saw the cute, green-haired girl standing nearby, he shouted: "Run, honored customer! These Deku witches are too too dangerous!"

Konatsu's stepsisters turned around. "Look, mother!" one of them hissed. "It's that Kokiri bitch from the forest!"

"Oh, really?" their mother growled. "One of those who kicked us out of our home, eh? Well, we'll show her that a Deku's grudge holds on forever!"

"You three just had to continue your wicked ways, even when exiled from the forest," Saria frowned. "Well, I won't let you harm that innocent man anymore."

"What do you think you can do, sweetie?" the old Deku woman laughed. "You are unarmed and all by yourself. Or do you think my good-for-nothing disgrace of a stepson is going to show up and save you?"

"Okay, nobody talks about my friends that way," Saria grumbled. She clasped her hands and sent a quick prayer to her goddess: "Farore, I beg of you, help your servant and entangle these fiends!"

And when she opened her eyes and gestured at the three Deku hags, green vines came growing out of the soft soil that surrounded them.

"M-mother!" one of the sisters squeaked in surprise. "What is this?"

"I c-can't move!" whined the other one as the vines wrapped themselves around her body.

"Curse you, you Kokiri witch!" their mother barked. "You won't get away with this! I'm gonna kill you and mmmmmpphhhh! Mmmmmhhh! Mmmmhh!" She couldn't speak anymore because the vines were now covering her tube-like snout.

Saria smirked. "Never try to take on the sage of the forest." She walked up to the Jusenkyo Guide. "Are you all right, sir?"

"Y-yes, I am..." the man nervously said. "Thank you, honored customer. I don't know how you did it, but... you saved me. I am in your debt!" And he bowed in front of her.

She smiled. "It was my pleasure." She then looked at his collapsed hut with worry. "Oh, did the Dekus do that?"

The guide sighed. "No, actually... I have encounter with very, very unfriendly customer. Very unfriendly and very impatient. Oh, but let's not talk about this any more... I just have to rebuild it, is all."

"Oh dear," Saria murmured. "Maybe I can help you..." She once again invoked her forest powers and let trees, vines and branches grow out of the ground. Within several minutes, a little house had grown forth from the earth, a house made of living plants.

"There you go!" she smiled. "Is that enough?"

The guide looked at her with awe. "You... you really are the Sage of the Forest?" he mumbled. He knelt down in front of her. "Honored sage, I am your servant!"

"Oh, stop that!" Saria said in embarrassment. "And how do you know about us, anyways?"

"I am guardian of Jusenkyo, know many ancient stories," the guide explained. "A long time no sages were around, but now you have come... the others as well?" He looked into her face hopefully.

"Well, we are still short of a few members... but we are planning to find them. And you don't have to kneel, I'm just a simple girl from the forest..."

"But... but isn't there anything I can do for you?" the guide asked.

Saria smiled. "Well, there is something..." And she leaned over to him and whispered something into his ear.

The guide listened and nodded. "Well, that is unusual request... but is no problem at all. Spring you are looking for is over there." And he gestured at a big spring close to the edge of the valley.

This time, Saria gave him a bow. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" And happily, she ran over to the spring.

When she reached it, she hesitated. Taking this step was a huge step indeed, as she would live with the curse for the rest of her life... but was it really a curse? She shook her head. No, not this one - not for her! This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become like Link.

She closed her eyes... and jumped into the spring.

As soon as she came bursting forth from the spring with a gasp, she realized that she should have thought of bringing bigger clothing along. Her Kokiri tunic was strained against the voluptuous breasts that had grown on her chest, while her pants were barely able to hold her luscious behind. Her wonderful green hair had grown halfway down her back, her legs were long and slender and her face beautiful and mature.

She carefully climbed back out of the spring and felt her body with awe. "I... I'm a Hylian..." she murmured. "I'm a grownup!" She grinned. "I'm really a grownup! Oh Link, if you only could see me right now..."

She froze when something sharp and cold was touching her neck from behind. All of her hairs were standing on end.

"All right... make no sudden move! I know who you are, so you better come along with me, or else..."

Saria sweated. Now everything was over. One of Ganondorf's henchmen had caught her, and she would be brought to him, and he would most likely kill her..."

"Turn around, slowly!" came the command.

Saria obeyed. But when she saw the young woman who was holding the knife that had been pressed against her neck, her eyes widened in surprise. That was no Gerudo, no Hylian and no monstrosity."

"You're a... Sheikah!" she murmured.

"Damn right!" Akane Tendo grumbled. "And you are one of Ganondorf's spies! We know he was searching for the sacred springs of Jusenkyo, so don't act innocent!"

"But... but I'm not..."

"No no no!" the Jusenkyo guide shouted as he came running. "Big mistake! Big mistake! She no is evil! She is sage of the forest!"

"Sage of the what? How can you be so sure she isn't on Ganondorf's side?" Akane snapped. "What else is she doing here?"

"Please believe me," Saria pleaded. "I am really one of the sages."

Akane huffed. "Yeah right, and Oktorocs can fly..."

"It's true, although there are just three sages by now... Rauru, Ryoga and me..."

Akane was surprised. "You... you know Ryoga?"

"She telling truth, she saved me from Deku burglars," the guide said.

Finally, Akane lowered her weapon. "All right, I believe you! But I want to hear the whole story."

Saria sighed with relief. "Sure, anytime!"


	23. I didn't kill anyone

"So this is the legendary 'Blue Fire', eh?" Ranko muttered as she stared into the blue flame that was burning on the marble pedestal. She held her hand over it... it wasn't giving off any heat. A deep frown appeared on her blue face. "And that stuff is supposed to melt the ice Mom and the king are trapped in?"

"It work," Shampoo told her fiancee. "You see. Gerudo not know much about ice, but have heard stories about Blue Fire too."

"And how are we supposed to carry it?" Ukyo grimaced. "In a bottle?"

Link smirked. "Ukyo, sometimes, you have the best ideas." He rummaged around in his bag, until he found what he was looking for.

His smirk turned into a confused stare when he saw what was inside the bottle. "Huh?"

"About time one of you gets me out of there!" the blonde Poe yelled. "How long do you plan on carrying me around like that?"

Ukyou raised her finger. "Hey, isn't that..."

"The ghost girl we tricked in the Forest Temple?" Tatl snickered. "Yup, of course she is! Link caught her in that bottle, after all. But I must admit, I nearly forgot about her myself."

"How very nice of you," the ghost grimaced. "It's easy to forget poor little Mariko, isn't it? Now, let me out of here! It has been far too long since I was separated from my honey, Lord Onox..."

Ranko winced. "Link, could you put that back? That annoying voice is getting on my nerves..."

"Yeah, sure," Link nodded.

"Hey, don't you dare..." Mariko's voice got muffled as her bottle vanished back in Link's bag. Instead, he pulled out another one. "Here, let's try this again..."

Carefully, he scooped up some of the Blue Fire with his bottle and corked it tight. In the end, he had a small, bottled blue flame.

"I don't believe it, you actually did it?" Ukyo gasped. "Who has ever heard of carrying fire in a bottle?"

Link shrugged. "Well, it's not hot, so..."

"I really hope that stuff actually helps," Ranko sighed. "Or else I don't know what I can do..."

"Airen no worry, Blue Fire will work," Shampoo tried to calm him.

"Yeah... if only we could test it out somehow..."

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Link said. "That frozen treasure chest in the other room I found... we could use the fire to take it. The ice it is frozen in is shimmering red, just like the ice your Mom is trapped in."

"It's worth a try," Ukyo said. "C'mon, Ranchan! We can't keep your people waiting."

"Well, okay," Ranko nodded, hoping that they were right. It would be too horrible if it didn't work.

Link lead them back to the junction, where they took the path leading to the left this time. It ended in a small cavern with icicles hanging from the ceiling and growing from the ground. At its end, there was a treasure chest encased in red ice.

Link gave Ranko the bottle with the Blue Fire. "Here, you should try it."

Ranma took it and nervously approached the frozen chest. "Well, here goes nothing..." she murmured. She uncorked the bottle and poured the Blue Fire over the red ice. And indeed, within seconds, the whole clump of ice was reduced to a small puddle of water to her feet. Ranko stared at the empty bottle in her hands, then she grinned and said: "It worked! Hey, it really worked! Wow, that's great! Now we can free Mom and..."

"Calm down there, Ranchan," Ukyo snickered. She was glad to see her in such a good mood. "Now why don't we take some of that Blue Fire back to Zora's Domain and..."

"Shampoo take some in second bottle," the amazon proudly said and raised her bottle into the air.

"Great, then what are we waiting for?" Ranko shouted.

"Wait a second, I just want to see what's in there..." Link said and walked to the chest.

But when he touched the wooden surface, a dark shadow fell across the room. "What?" he shouted and nervously backed off. "What was that?"

"Link, what did you do?" Ukyo asked with worry as she looked around the unusual darkness.

"I didn't do anything," Link protested. "I just touched the chest..."

"And thereby, you walked right into my trap," a sinister voice spoke up. Two glowing, red eyes appeared above the chest. "I know you would come, Link! And I also know the elder princess of the Zoras would try to save her people. But I have a message for all of you, from my master: As long as the monster of the lake still lives, will the curse upon Zora's Domain never be lifted!"

"Who are you?" Link shouted as he drew his blade. Ukyo and Shampoo drew their weapons as well, while Ranko went into her battle stance. "Show yourself!"

The cavern was filled with a booming laughter. "I am not here, unfortunately! But I am impatiently waiting for you in the Water Temple, Hero of Time! Come to me, and maybe we can talk about what you did to me... and what I will do to the younger Zora princess!"

"Ruto!" Link and Ranko shouted at once. "If you touch her, I'm gonna kill you!" Ranko yelled.

"Such an angry grimace on such a pretty face," the unknown entity snickered. "I have nothing against you or your sister, but as you are my master's enemies, you are mine as well. The only one in your group I have a grudge against is you, Link!"

"Why me?" Link asked. "What did I do to you?"

"You may not know it right now, but about seven years ago, you killed me - and I want my revenge!"

"What?" everyone gasped. Link couldn't believe his ears. His friends were looking at him in awe.

"Link, what's he talking about?" Ukyo whispered.

"I have no idea!" Link defended himself. "I killed beasts and monsters in Ganondorf's service, sure, but..."

"Oh, I was human once," the voice explained. "And no, you haven't killed anyone... yet!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tatl yelled. "If he didn't kill anyone, how could he have killed you seven years ago?"

"I will let you think about it some more, Hero of Time," the voice hissed. "For now, just come to the Water Temple... I can't wait to see you again - or is that for the first time? Ha ha ha ha ha! But we don't want to make it that easy, don't you agree? That's why I prepared a little surprise for you... a little pet of mine who will keep you entertained. Show yourself, my dear!"

And then, the red eyes disappeared, and out of the darkness, a white beast came leaping with a feral growl. The darkness vanished, but the white Wolfos that had appeared in front of them stayed.

"Gimme a break..." Link grumbled. The Wolfos growled and slashed at him with its claws. Link parried the attack with his shield and hacked at it with the Master Sword. Still, the beast jumped over his blade.

"Don't worry, we'll finish that mutt in no time!" Ranko grumbled. "And then we pay that creep a visit... I'd love to introduce him to my FIST!" And with an angry yell, she punched the white beast in the face, so that it got knocked across the cave.

It howled in pain as it collided with the wall. Dazed, it shook its head and wanted to jump back to its feet.

"Oh no, you don't!" Ukyo screamed and slammed her huge spatula down on its head. The Wolfos roared one last time, then it collapsed.

Link poked it with his sword. "It's dead," he exclaimed.

"About time!" Ranko grumbled. "We have to hurry! Who knows what that guy does to Ruto while we're dawdling?"

"Wait a minute, Ranko!" Navi interrupted him. "Isn't the Water Temple at the bottom of Lake Hylia? Then shouldn't it be completely flooded? I mean, you can breath under water, and Tatl and I have our fairy magic, but what about Link and Ukyo?"

"Dang..." the Zora princess muttered. "I didn't think of that..." she then thought of something. "Hey, our store should have a few Zora Tunics in stock. With those, even Hylians can breath under water."

"Now isn't that convenient..." Ukyo sighed. "All right, but I hope you'll wait for us when we swim through the temple... I can't swim as fast as you."

"I think these can be of a great help," Link grinned when he looked into the chest he had opened. Ukyo looked past him and facefaulted.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me..." she grumbled as she saw the pair of heavy iron boots lying in the chest.

----

A sleek shape leapt from roof to roof, always staying in the shadows.

Sheik was back in Kakariko. And she was glad for it. She could use a break... She knew that her work was far from done, but nothing could motivate a tired spirit more than Kasumi's tea and home-baked cookies.

She peeked around the corner of a house and made sure that nobody saw her. She then carefully snuck to the door and slipped in.

Closing the door behind her, she took off her hood with a sigh. "Everyone, I'm back..." she muttered tiredly.

"Welcome back, princess!" came the cheerful voice of Kasumi. "We were just about to have some tea. Would you like a cup?"

Zelda smiled. That was what she needed. "Yes, thank you..." She froze when she looked up at the five people sitting at the table.

The unknown, green-haired girl blinked. "What did you call her?" she muttered. "Princess?"

"Kasumi, you aren't supposed to call her that," Impa scolded her eldest daughter. "We must keep her identity a secret."

Kasumi blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, mother..."

"What... what are you doing?" Zelda blurted out. "Why are you telling that girl who I am? If she tells Ganondorf..."

"You won't ever see that I would help Ganondorf with anything!" Saria said in a very serious voice. "He wanted to sacrifice me in the Forest Temple, so you can tell that he's not a person I like very much."

"Sacrifice... wait a minute... YOU are that girl he kidnapped in the forest?"

"Um, maybe we should introduce you to each other," Nabiki spoke up. "Zelda, this is Saria, the Sage of the Forest! Saria, this is Princess Zelda!"

Zelda blinked. Sage of the Forest?

Saria gasped. "You mean... you are Zelda, crown princess of Hyrule? The very same one Ganondorf has been looking for all those years?"

"Yes... yes, that's me..." Zelda murmured. "But Impa... you were the one who told me that we shouldn't tell anyone about my secret..."

"Well, I couldn't possibly throw her out after my daughter dragged her in..." Impa sighed. "Besides, if what she told us is true, she is the Sage of the Forest."

"A... sage?" Zelda wondered. She had heard the ancient tales of the sages, of course. "But there hasn't been a sage in years..."

"I just awoke to my destiny," Saria explained. She stood up and took Zelda's hand. "I am very honored to meet you, princess! I am Saria, one of the Kokiri!"

Now Zelda was even more confused. "But Kokiri are eternal children!"

"Well, not me..." Saria blushed. "Well, I... I sort of fell into a Jusenkyo spring, you see? The spring of nearly-drowned Hylian woman... the spring you created after your last visit."

"You know about that?" Zelda gasped. "But how..."

Saria grinned. "An elderly owl told me."

Kasumi smiled. "Oh, it seems that we have so many things to talk about... why don't we discuss it over a cup of tea?"

Zelda sat down on a chair and nodded. "Yes, I could use some tea right now..."

----

While they were having tea, Saria explained everything to Zelda. She told her that Ryoga also has awoken as a sage, and how she had dreamed about being a Hylian, so she could be together with Link when all of this was over.

Zelda frowned. "You do know that in the end, it is his decision, right?"

"I know," Saria sighed. "And I would accept his decision, no matter if he chose another one or if he would need another couple of years... but I don't regret having done this." She smiled as she looked down at her mature body. "Now I can do everything I always dreamt about. I can leave the forest, walk among Hylians, learn more about our world..."

"Well, let's hope that things will change for a better after all the other sages have awoken," Nabiki frowned.

Akane nodded. "Yes, and maybe Link can even put an end to Ganondorf's reign."

Kasumi smiled. "That would be wonderful!"

Zelda nodded. That was her biggest wish right now. Life under Ganondorf's rule wasn't exactly an easy one. Monsters and Gerudos could show up in the village any day, she had to stay in hiding, and everyone that speaks up against Ganondorf will be thrown into prison... or maybe even killed on the spot! She wanted to end this reign of terror to end, no matter how!

"What is the situation in the village?" she finally asked.

Suddenly, the Tendo sisters looked at each other with worry, and a deep frown appeared on Impa's face. "We are... preparing the village for an attack."

Zelda gasped. "An attack? Is it Ganondorf? Is it because of me? Did he find out I am in here? Oh no, I must leave as soon as..."

"Now calm down, Zelda!" Akane said. "It's not as you think. It's just that..." she looked very uncomfortable. "Onox has paid the village a visit a couple of days ago."

"Oh my! Did he hurt anyone?"

"Well, he still thinks that the villagers need his protection, but then he met us, and you know how he feels about our tribe, right? Well, we were just chasing the perverted ghost from the graveyard and followed him into the old well..."

"When Kuno-baby showed up and tried to smash us with his huge morning star," Nabiki grumbled. "And thereby, he released an ancient demon that had been trapped inside the well for years."

"A demon? You can't mean...?"

"I'm afraid so," Impa nodded. "It is the same creature I once imprisoned in there, the Shadow Beast, Bongo Bongo! At first, we thought that we could trap him and Onox in the well, but..."

She sighed. "Looks like we underestimated the powers Ganondorf granted his general. They somehow escaped, and we can just assume what happened afterwards. My guess is that Onox brought Bongo Bongo to his master."

"And just yesterday, a vision appeared in the sky above the village," Akane explained. "It was a huge, glowing red eye, and it spoke with the voice of the demon. He warned us that he would return for his vengeance, and that nobody could stop him this time. So we are now preparing everyone for the gruesome battle."

"But... you are the only ones who can actually fight," Zelda protested.

"I told that to the other villagers," Nabiki sighed. "But a few of them just were stubborn enough that they didn't want to listen to reason."

"Hiroshi and Daisuke no baka..." Akane grumbled.

Impa turned to Saria. "And I'm afraid that's the reason why you shouldn't stay here for much longer. If the demon finds you, you'll be in Ganondorf's clutches, once again. I hope I don't seem impolite, but..."

"No, I understand," Saria said sadly. "I wish I could stay and help, but I know that I am needed in the Chamber of Sages."

"And you should get out of here as soon as you can, too!" Impa told the surprised princess. "If Bongo Bongo is now a minion of Ganondorf, we can't let him find you."

"But I know how to fight," Zelda protested. "You taught me your ways of fighting yourself. And I can't watch while you are in danger."

"The risk is too big, please understand!" Akane pleaded.

"Wait!" Saria shouted. "Maybe she can come to the Chamber of Sages with me..."

"No, they are right, Saria..." Zelda sighed. "I should leave before they come... and no, I appreciate your offer, but I can't come with you. My help is needed elsewhere..."

Saria looked worried. "But... you will take care of yourself, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Zelda smiled. "And it was an honor to finally meet you in person, Saria! Please, tell the 'old owl' that I appreciated his help back at Jusenkyo."

Saria chuckled. "I'll keep it in mind." She stood up. "Thanks for everything... but I think I should leave now." She stood in the middle of the room, ready to use Farore's Wind again.

"And, Saria?" Zelda shouted.

Saria opened her eyes again. "Yes?"

Zelda smiled. "I think out fates are in good hands. I only met your friend Link once in my life, but I could feel that he is the most noble boy I've ever seen, even if he grew up in the forest."


	24. A meeting at Lake Hylia

The ice slowly melted, and the sleek form of the Zora queen was released from her cold prison, just like the fatter form of her husband.

Nodoka blinked. "What... what happened?"

"MOM!" Ranko shouted with joy and she embraced her mother. "It worked! It really worked!"

"R-ranko?" Nodoka stuttered. She was a bit overwhelmed by her son-daughters sudden show of affection. "What's going on?" she asked. "I just remember the sudden cold..."

Ranko let go of her mother and grinned. "We freed you! The Blue Fire! It actually worked! We used it to melt the cursed ice around your bodies. See?"

"Oh my..." murmured King Zora as he looked at the still frozen surroundings of his throne room. "This has never happened before... why didn't Lord Jabu-Jabu prevent this?"

Ranko sighed. "I... I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but... he's gone. As is Ruto... and all the others are still frozen, just like you were."

"What?" the monarch gasped. "My beloved daughter Ruto, missing? Where could she be?"

"In the Water Temple," Link explained. "Some evil creature is holding her prisoner... and we believe that creature is also responsible for the ice."

"Yes, a young warrior named Sheik told us that the monster has cursed your kingdom," Ukyo nodded.

"But the Blue Fire... can't it save them all?" Nodoka wondered. "There has to be SOMETHING we can do!"

"Well, there's just one blue flame in the ice cave, No-chan," Genma explained. "And we don't have enough bottles that we could unfreeze the whole kingdom... besides, I doubt that it would work for the whole ice if it's a curse we are dealing with."

"Don't worry, Mom!" Ranko said. "We'll go to the Water Temple, save sis and beat that monster."

"But most parts of the Water Temple are flooded," King Zora frowned. "And your friends are no Zoras, they cannot breathe underwater."

"Yeah, that's why we need some Zora Tunics from the shop," Ranko nodded. "We brought a third bottle of Blue Fire to thaw the shop's entrance, I'm sure the shopkeeper will give us three of them."

"Just three?" Nodoka wondered.

"Yes," Shampoo nodded. "One for Shampoo, one for spatula girl and one for green boy."

"We fairies don't need tunics, ma'am," Tatl winked. "We have our own magic."

"I wasn't talking about you," Nodoka frowned. "I was talking about my ex-husband!"

She looked over to Genma... and sweatdropped when all she saw was a winged bear that was playing with a big fish. 'I'm just a cuddly little Moosh!' he signed.

Nodoka sighed. "Figures... but Ranko, you'll be careful, okay? Do you even know what kind of monster is waiting for you?"

"Well, he looked like some sort of evil spirit guy..." Ranko said and scratched her head.

"Yeah, and he also said I killed him," Link grumbled. "Which is strange, because I certainly don't remember killing anyone..."

"Come, Airen, Shampoo help you unfreeze shopkeeper, yes?"

Ranko nodded. "Yeah, okay! Ucchan, Link, you two coming?"

"We'll be right behind you," Ukyo shouted.

She and Link followed Ranko and Shampoo. Navi sighed. "They look so happy together... I think they are a good match."

"Well, it is a bit weird that they are both girls right now..." Ukyo murmured. She still was getting used to the concept of love, especially because of the big amounts of hate she had felt towards Ranma over all these years. But now, she just hoped he and Shampoo would be happy with each other.

"Ranchan is my childhood friend after all," she said. "He deserves to be happy."

"Hey, I don't think that will be a problem," Tatl smirked. "He has his fiancee, his sister, his parents, his martial arts and a place he can always return to... all we have to do is to make sure that Zora's Domain isn't cursed anymore. Isn't that right?"

Link sighed. "It must be nice... having a family..."

Navi smiled. "Aren't we your family, sort of? And Saria and the other Kokiri?"

"Well, sort of," Link nodded. "You're my best friends, that's true! But still... I sometimes wish I knew my real parents..."

"Hey, cheer up!" Ukyo smiled. "One day, you'll find out who they were."

"Maybe..." he sighed. He recalled the weird dream he had just before they entered Hyrule Town for the first time... and the gentle voice he had heard. He didn't know why of all times, he remembered it now, but he was certain that it meant something.

'The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world. Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence. And, the resting place of the triangles have become the Sacred Realm.'

These were the words the voice had spoken, he remembered them clearly. Maybe it had been one of the goddesses who spoke to him... or maybe it was a ghost from a past long ago...

If he only knew why that voice seemed so familiar to him...

----

Cologne landed on the small island, next to an old tree. She looked across the decreased waters of Lake Hylia with a sigh.

"Just what is Ganondorf doing to this world?" she mumbled. "We wanted to leave the desert so we could live in a pleasant world, a paradise with gentle meadows and refreshing lakes... but all he did was to upset the balance of nature. The volcano had grown uncontrollable while Volvagia was alive, the forests have been ravaged by his minions, the rivers have been frozen... and now this lovely lake is slowly running dry. What for? Just so he can prove his power? Doesn't he have enough?"

She shook her head. "I need to keep a close eye on that so-called 'Dark Link'. Ganondorf and the twins never told me his true origins, only that he is loyal and that he is supposed to watch over the beast known as Morpha. But what if Morpha gets out of control? If all the water in the kingdom freezes or runs dry, Hyrule will turn into a second desert."

Suddenly, a shining light appeared behind her. She turned around to see four youngsters stepping out of the light. She recognized them as soon as she saw them. Those two forest kids that had troubled her master for such a long time, that cursed boy who was also the elder Zora princess and... her great-granddaughter. She also noticed how Shampoo and two of her new friends were wearing blue Zora Tunics.

They looked around. "Is this Laky Hylia?" the girl with the huge spatula wondered.

Then, the blonde boy noticed her and drew his blade. "It's another one of these ancient hags!" he shouted. The others jumped to attention.

"Sheathe your sword, boy!" Cologne said in a bored voice. "I'm not here to fight you."

Shampoo gasped. "Great-grandmother? What... what you doing here?"

Cologne glared at her. "I see that you still haven't managed to learn a better Hylian, huh? I thought that hanging around Hylians all the time would help you with that..."

"This... is your great-grandmother?" Link wondered.

"It's the old ghoul, all right!" Ranko growled. "Listen up, Cologne, the only reason why I'm not trying to kill you right now is that you are a relative of my fiancee... but I don't know how long I can restrain myself, so why don't you just buzz off?"

"As rude as always, son-in-law," Cologne huffed. "Hasn't the Zora lifestyle taught you some manners? I have come here for my personal reasons. And I take it you have come to stop Morpha, haven't you?"

"Who or what is Morpha?" Ukyo asked.

"The creature responsible for this drought," Cologne explained. "That's all I can tell you. You shouldn't be here, do you know that?"

"Why? Because your master told you so?" Link asked. He still hadn't sheathed his sword.

"It is true that I am supposed to tell him of everything that could threaten his plans... but I don't think I will inform him right away. Instead, I am giving you a chance."

"A... chance?" Shampoo wondered. "What you mean, great-grandmother?"

"A chance to leave while you still can," Cologne said. "You might be able to overcome the dangers of this temple, and maybe even beat Morpha and the other dark minion that is waiting for you... but you will never be able to defeat Ganondorf!"

"You want us to give up, just like that?" Ukyo snapped. "You've got some nerve if you believe that we listen to you, you wrinkled old mummy!"

"Listen up," Link said in a calm voice and pointed his sword at her. "This is the Master Sword, the legendary blade forged to fight evil, and I will use it to destroy Ganondorf, that's something I swore to myself. We will succeed, and we won't let ourselves be intimidated by your words!"

"You are mere children!" Cologne shouted. "How could you ever hope to face the grand master of evil? He has more power than you could possibly imagine. He has countless minions under his command, not to mention the Gerudo army, the General of Darkness, the Sorceress of Shadows and us, the Gerudo Elders!"

"If we take you down now, one of these problems will be solved, right?" Tatl grumbled.

Shampoo held the angry fairy back. "Great-grandmother," she said. "Shampoo already tell you, I not want to come back as long as Ganondorf is king. Airen taught Shampoo how to be strong and stand up against evil tyrants... and I don't want Gerudos to be pawns of him just because elders are corrupted. Gerudos are proud warriors, and they should know when they are fighting for the wrong side."

Cologne only saw resolution and determination in her great-grandchild's eyes. "Shampoo will fight, even against you, if she has to. But I don't want to hurt you... and you won't stop us from saving Airen's sister. So, please, great-grandmother..." She lowered her head. "Honored elder... please do not interfere with our mission... or we must do what we have to do."

Cologne stayed silent for a while. Then she sighed. "You really are a stubborn child, aren't you? Then again, all of you are. Fine, I see that nothing I say would change your mind right now. Go on, do what you want to do. But I am warning you, Shampoo... I am warning all of you. Do not underestimate Ganondorf's powers. If you stand in his way... he will crush you!"

Shampoo was surprised to see that a tiny tear was glinting in the corner of the matriarch's left eye. "And I don't want to lose you either..."

Cologne mounted her broom and took one last look at the group. Her gaze found Ranko's. "Son-in-law, you better protect Shampoo. Unlike me, the creatures that are waiting for you won't hesitate to kill you all."

"I think I'm a much more competent bodyguard than you could ever be, old ghoul!" Ranko spat.

Cologne just frowned at that last remark. She then turned around her broom and flew away.

Ukyo and Link were stunned. "I... didn't know one of the Gerudo Elders was a relative of yours..." Ukyo then said.

"Shampoo left many relatives behind, spatula girl..." Shampoo said sadly. "Sisters, cousins, aunts... and great-grandmother. Shampoo know they not all want to follow Ganondorf... they just too afraid to say otherwise."

"And... is that also the case with Cologne?" Link wondered.

Shampoo didn't reply. Ranko saw how uncomfortable she was. "Um, I think we should hurry and find the entrance to the temple," she said. "I fear for Ruto's safety..."

"Airen is right," Shampoo nodded. "Shampoo ready to try out blue armor."

"I guess there's no way around this, is there?" Ukyo sighed. "Oh well..." She held her nose and jumped directly into the clear waters below. Shampoo and Link did the same, the fairies surrounded themselves with magical bubbles before following them, and the Zora princess once again leapt into the water with an elegant dive.


	25. Hot Water

A black hand reached into the pockets of its dark tunic and pulled put a small picture. Unlike everything the creature wore, this framed picture wasn't black. It was a tiny drawing of a nice-looking woman clad in a modest, yellow dress and long, brown hair.

The picture was moving.

The drawn woman smiled when she saw the dark face with the glowing, red eyes. "I am glad that you haven't abandoned your humanity completely, son."

"I am no longer a Hylian," Dark Link growled. "Your son doesn't exist any more."

"But still you look at my picture, don't you?" she asked while tilting your head. "Doesn't that mean you still have some feelings for me, your old mother?"

"I am... a monster!" he murmured. "I didn't want you to see me like this, but I couldn't wait any more day, knowing that your picture was still in my pocket..."

"But I have known about what happened to you ever since that fateful day," she replied in a sad voice. "I may only be a picture, and I have been in your pocket for all those days, but I have witnessed everything that has happened to you. And while I am happy to see you again, I bemourn your fate. You know it is not too late to change your plans, don't you?"

"My mind is set," Dark Link frowned. "I will kill him." He closed his eyes. "When he is dead, he won't be able to travel back in time, and nothing of this will have ever happened..."

"You can't cheat fate like this, son..." his mother said in a grave voice. "How do you know he will be the one to defeat you?"

"My plan is impeccable!" Dark Link grumbled. "He won't be able to resist my lure, and then... he will fall into my trap!" He clenched his fist. "And then I will make him pay..."

"His actions might be the cause for your death..." she said. "Or they will be, once he travels back to the past. But can you honestly say that he killed you?"

"Of course!" her son snapped. "It's his fault that Ganondorf was able to ruin our kingdom, right? The king's death... Princess Zelda's disappearance... Kodachi's corruption... all of this is his fault!"

The picture image shook her head. "I know I can't stop you," she sadly said. "But I cannot understand why you are siding with the one you hate? Ganondorf was the one who invaded our kingdom, after all."

"That doesn't matter..." Dark Link whispered. "Once he is dead, nothing of this will ever happen..."

She sighed, wishing that her son would realize that Ganondorf would have never allowed him to cheat destiny, especially not since it would take the Triforce of Power away from him. "If you hate him so much, why did you take his image?" she asked.

"If you really have witnessed everything, you should know that I had no choice," he grumbled. "To survive, my spirit had to possess his shadow..."

"Maybe, but Ganondorf did offer you the ability of transformation. You could have turned back to normal if you had accepted."

"I don't want to accept anything from that monster..." Dark Link growled.

"Really? Is that the only reason? Maybe there is something else besides your hatred towards those two men... can it be that you feel a certain kind of... closeness to him?"

"To HIM?" Dark Link almost yelled. "Don't make me laugh! He is the reason I have lost everything!"

He then sighed and clutched the picture to his chest. "But don't worry, Mother... I will make sure that everything what happened will be nothing more than a bad dream... and you will live again."

And he put the picture back into his pocket.

A tendril of water came sneaking out of the small pool in the room he was kneeling in. The tentacle touched his shoulder, and he received the mental image of four persons that have entered the temple.

"Yes, I know!" he nodded. "They are here. Patience, Morpha!" He grinned. "Everything is proceeding according to plan. While I will have my revenge... you can feed upon his friends."

The water tentacle retracted itself, and Dark Link closed his eyes.

'Master!' he thought.

It wasn't long until he heard the deep voice in his mind. 'What are you bothering me for?'

'They are here. The Hero of Time and his friends have arrived.'

'Yes, I know. Proceed as planned and inform me as soon as they are dead. Bring his body to me after your work is done, and don't forget the younger Zora princess.'

'Of course not, master!' Dark Link replied.

When the dark voice had left his mind, he opened his glowing eyes again. Ganondorf was aware of the fact that he hated him, and Dark Link knew that Ganondorf knew it.

He grinned. As long as Ganondorf didn't know his true intentions, everything was fine...

"History will change, and I will live again..." he murmured. "And the first thing I will do is to make sure that everyone who helped Ganondorf will be taken care of... including Tatewaki Kuno!" He cackled. "The fool believed he killed me that day... but such a weak blow would have never been enough to destroy me like that. No, only Link's treachery when he abandoned the kingdom was enough to shatter my identity..."

He held up his black hand and stared at it. "Only he could have turned me into this... his dark doppelganger... into DARK LINK!"

----

Ukyo walked along the flooded corridor, her spatula the only thing that was weighing her down. It was very weird how she was able to breathe even though she was under water. She looked over to Link, who, despite wearing the heavy iron boots, seemed to have no trouble walking along the slick floor.

Behind them, Shampoo followed. If the Gerudo warrior was uncomfortable under water, she certainly didn't show it. As she didn't have quite the weight as Ukyo and Link, she had decided to swim instead of walking along the bottom. Her athletic body allowed her to easily swim through all the flooded corridors, shafts and rooms they were coming through. And even though she was used to fight on dry land, she was nevertheless able to fight off all the underwater monsters that approached them.

Ranko was swimming around them all the time. Her mouth opened and bubbles came out. "Don't fall behind, you slowpokes!" she said in a strangely blurred voice. "Who knows what that creep's gonna do to Ruto while we're dawdling."

'Easy for you to say, Miss Fish Fins,' Ukyo thought, wishing that like a Zora, she could communicate under water like that. Instead, she, Link and Shampoo were forced to resort to gestures. Such as now, when she showed the impatient Zora princess a rude gesture with her middle finger.

Ranko frowned and stuck out her tongue, then she twirled around like an elegant dancer and swum ahead, once again. They barely had to fight any underwater enemies, as Ranko took nearly all of them out by herself.

----

Ruto sighed with relief when the manacles fell to the ground. She massaged her wrists and thanked Nayru that she had such slender hands. It took her some time to get free from her bounds, and it wasn't pleasant at all when the sharp-edged manacles had rubbed against her delicate skin, but if that's what she had to bear to get out of here, so be it. She as just glad that black weirdo hadn't come back to check on her for some time now.

She silently walked across the wet floor of the chamber she had been imprisoned in and when she reached the door at the other side of the room, she put her ear on it. She couldn't hear anything, so she carefully opened it.

Dark Link was nowhere to be seen.

"Sorry for just leaving like that, creep!" she mumbled to herself. "But I've got work to do!"

She ran along the corridor and dove into the water-filled shaft at its end.

----

Ukyo gasped as her head broke through the surface in the central room of the Water Temple. Around her, Link, Shampoo and Ranko appeared as well. The two fairies came flying out of the water and shook droplets from their wings.

"Ooooh, I hate this!" Tatl whined. "Don't tell me we have to go down there again..."

"How many times do we have to get through this stupid room, anyway?" Ukyo grumbled. "I mean, who designed this temple? And what for? If it's to confuse us, I'd say they did a good job."

"I haven't been here before," Ranko shrugged. "But Mom once told me that the temple already was at the bottom of the lake when her current husband - the king - was a young child. So the Zora don't know much about the temple either, only that it is a sanctuary of Nayru they have to protect."

"Well, if we don't hurry, there won't be a lake left," Link pointed out. "So... any idea where we should go next?"

"I would take a look at the map," Ukyo frowned. "But I'm worrying that it might become unreadable when we take it out in the water..."

"Well, we found a key at the end of that last room," Link said. "So I'd say we go look for a locked door."

"Sword-boy really needs to stop being so quick-witted," Shampoo said sarcastically.

----

So their arduous search throughout the temple continued. After they found their third key, Ukyo lost track of time. How long have they been down here? Half an hour? One hour? Three hours?

Right now, they were going along another corridor at the bottom of the temple. It made a sharp turn and ended in yet another room.

"So, what now?" Ranko gurgled. "Shall we go back... or do you wanna try going up there?" She looked up the broad shaft above their heads.

Shampoo and Ukyo looked at each other, and together, they gestured upwards.

Link sighed and was about to remove the iron boots from his feet, when he looked upwards as well... and was surprised when he saw the sleek shape that was coming down from above.

It was the most beautiful Zora girl he had ever seen in his life. True, Ranko wasn't too bad, either... but knowing that she really was a boy kinda made him overlook that fact.

It was weird... this was the first time Link was physically attracted to a female. Before, he barely felt anything but friendship. Ukyo, Akane and Malon were good buddies. Shampoo and Zelda were just nice people she really didn't know that well. Saria... well, she was his best friend... at least that was what he told himself.

But this girl - no, woman - really caused a reaction in his teenage body he had never experienced before. Even under water, he started to sweat, and couldn't keep his eyes off her curves. Of course, he didn't know that his adult hormones were to blame.

True, she was a Zora, which meant she was half fish, but strangely, that fact didn't bother him at all. He was even more surprised when he finally looked up at her face and recognized her.

'Ruto?' he wondered.

A wide smile had appeared on the younger Zora princess' face. "BIG SIS!" she shouted when she saw Ranko. "You came to rescue me?"

Ranko smirked. "Sure thing, little sis! You never doubted that, did you?"

"Nope!" Ruto grinned. "I know I have the best sister/brother in all of Hyrule!" And then the two shapely, wet, naked bodies hugged each other.

Ukyo blinked when she took a look at Link. Why was there blood coming out of his nose? That certainly didn't look healthy... and in the water, it definitely looked gross, so she quickly looked back to the reunited sisters.

Ruto then looked to the others. "Shampoo! You came, too? You... I don't know you... and..." She gasped. "Link? Is that you, Link? I can't believe it! After all these years!"

She smiled. "You do recognize me, right? That's right, it's me, Ruto, your fiancee! Oh, it was cruel of you to keep me waiting seven long years... but I forgive you!" And she swam over to Link and hugged him as tightly as her sister.

"Mmmmmbbbrrrr..." Link mumbled from in-between a pair of soft globes. "Ggllllbrrllllll..."

"Huh? Did you say something, love?" Ruto asked. She giggled. "Oh, silly me! You Hylians can't talk under water, right? But still, I'm happy that you remembered the promise we gave to each other so many years ago..."

Ranko coughed (which caused a few bubbles that were rising to the surface). "Um, I hate to burst your bubble, sis..." Ukyo groaned at the pun. "But this really isn't the time for romances."

"That's right!" Ruto nodded as she let go off Link, who let out a gasp of relief. "We have to do something against those monsters. If the curse isn't lifted, Zora's Domain will be frozen forever, and Lake Hylia will be dry in a couple of days... if not hours."

"Well, we already freed Mom and your Dad," Ranko told her. "But you're right, we need to kill that monster who's responsible for this. Did you see it?"

"No," Ruto said. "I just saw the man who commanded it... and, he looks just like Link."

Link would have blinked in surprise, but right now, he had problems of a different kind to deal with (which was, loss of blood).

"Like Link?" Ranko wondered. "Are you sure? I mean, there was this scary voice which talked to us through a black cloud... and there were these red eyes... but are you sure?"

"Well, he is black," Ruto explained. "His clothes, his skin and his sword. Only his eyes were red... red as blood." She shuddered. "And that horrible scar on his chest... it was frightening. And..." She looked at Link with wide eyes. "He said you KILLED him, Link! Can you believe that?"

Realizing that Link wasn't able to reply, Ranko gestured upwards with her thumb. "Maybe we should find a drier place where we can include the others in this conversation," she said.

"Oops, you're right, I completely forgot. Sorry, sis!"

She then swam up to her 'fiance'. "Come, Linky-poo! I'll help you." And she grabbed him around his chest and dragged him upwards as she swam up the shaft. Link tried to ignore how her breasts were being pushed into his back...

Shampoo shrugged and swam after her, while Ranko reached around Ukyo's waist and pulled her along.

----

Dark Link picked up the manacles that were lying on the floor. He smirked. "And so, the game has begun..."


	26. An Elder's Doubts

While Elder Cologne was flying back to the desert on her broom, she was deep in thought. She knew her great-granddaughter and her new friends were stubborn, but now that she faced them directly, she was able to see the resolution in their eyes. That was not just mere defiance, they really believed in what they were doing. And, after all, they did defeat Ganondorf's phantom and the fire dragon.

But all of that would not be enough against the dark lord of evil.

And when she heard the words of the blonde youngster... the one with the Master Sword... she really couldn't help but ponder about her current situation.

Did she want Hyrule to be under the rule of this tyrant? No, most certainly not. She only wanted the best for her tribe. She wanted to rebel against the arrogant Hylians and Zoras, true, she wanted an easier life outside of the desert... but she never wanted to cover the world with chaos and darkness.

And now, Ganondorf was neglecting his own people more and more. He enslaved those who didn't agree with him... turned them into fearsome monsters and mindless slaves. And Cologne was forced to agree with him...

If only the other elders weren't a pair of insane old hags, then she would be able to...

To what? Cologne asked herself. To fight against Ganondorf? What was unthinkable. His army was too dangerous, even if every Gerudo would start to rebel against him. And now this small group of adventurers tries to defeat him without any help.

Why do they believe they would ever win?

But then again, she could understand them. There were only two possibilities for those that were Ganondorf's enemies: Either give up hope and surrender to his cruelty, or to do whatever may be possible to bring him down.

And Cologne had to admit, with the Master Sword in the boy's hands and the Sages on his side, there was a slight chance that he could do it. A truly abysmal chance, but it was there.

This was the first time that she wondered if there was anything she could do to raise that chance.

Her own thoughts frightened her at first, but the longer she thought about it, the more she started to believe that it was worth the try. And she didn't have to help them directly... if Ganondorf and the Twinrova witches never found out that she was helping them, she wouldn't have to be afraid of their wrath.

But what if they found out? Ganondorf's spies were everywhere, and even Cologne herself didn't know all about his magical powers and the abilities the Triforce of Power was giving him.

She was just going to dismiss all of these thoughts, when the image of her granddaughter Nabooru appeared in her mind... trapped in that bulky, iron armor, cursed to forever do as Ganondorf ordered her, always aware, but never able to do anything.

Cologne was already feeling guilty that she allowed this to happen to her... could she do the same with Shampoo?

She believed her great-granddaughter to be strong enough to survive the trials of the Water Temple, maybe she could even win against the more powerful servants of the king of evil. Yes, there was even the possibility that one day, she might defeat the dark general Onox.

But against Ganondorf himself? Cologne shook her head. No, Shampoo would never be strong enough. Ganondorf would crush her in no time. Or, even worse... he could torture her... enslave her like he did with Nabooru... or even worse things Cologne dared not to imagine.

She knew she would not be able to convince Shampoo to follow her husband and the Hero of Time. And Cologne knew she could never let anything happen to her. So, there was only one thing left to do.

When she arrived in Gerudo Valley, the Elder of Winds landed directly in front of the Gerudo Training Ground, the obstacle course used by the younger warriors to hone their battle skills. Only the strongest warriors were able to reach the end, where they could salvage the well-earned prize...

The young guard in front of the entrance gate saluted when she saw the old witch approaching her.

"Elder Cologne! An honor to see you again! What brings you here?"

Cologne smirked. "Oh, I just thought I'd try out the old training course once again. It has been such a long time... I just have to see if I still can keep up with you youngsters." And she cackled in an amused voice.

The young Gerudo stared at her in surprise. "B-but Elder... you are one of the most powerful witches of all times. Truly we would never be able to perform as well as you. I would say that you could reach the end of the course in no time."

"Let's just say I am feeling nostalgic... and I need some time to unwind. Leading a whole tribe can be tiresome at times, girl... surely you understand that, don't you?"

"Y-yes, of course!" the girl stuttered nervously. "Please, go right ahead!" And she opened the gate.

While Cologne entered the Training Grounds, she took a deep breath.

'Cologne, old girl, you just took your first step in defying the great king of evil... and if he ever finds out what you are about to do, you are a dead Gerudo.'

Still, she kept on walking, always thinking of her great-granddaughter.

'You may kill me, Ganondorf... but I'll be damned if you hurt Shampoo.'

There wasn't much she could do without attracting the attention of his minions, but one thing she knew was that the Hero of Time was the best candidate of doing what she would not able to do herself: Defeating the tyrant and bringing peace to Hyrule.

And that's why she was trying to bring him the ancient Gerudo treasures that would be most useful on his quest: The Ice and Fire Arrows!

* * *

Ukyo sighed. "Another flooded room? I've just had it with all the water in here..."

"Well, duh, I guess that's why it's called the WATER Temple," Tatl remarked.

"Ah, it's just a little pool we have to cross, nothing else," Link said confidently. "At least we don't have to dive down a shaft... or run along an underwater tunnel. I don't even need the Iron Boots.

Ruto looked across the pool to the door on the other side. She then looked at Link. "Say... those Iron Boots... how can you carry them if they're so heavy? I mean, every time you wear them, every step you take is so slow... and now, when they're in your bag, they don't slow you down at all. And they don't even pull you down when you swim... how come?"

Link shrugged. "They only get heavy when I put them on my feet, that's all. Is that so surprising?"

"Well, of course it is," Ukyo remarked. "After all, they are Iron Boots... why would their weight change if they aren't on your feet?"

"Hey, I'm no schoemaker, okay?" Link shot back. "How am I supposed to know?"

Ranko sighed. "Look, can't we just go on already? We have no time to lose."

"All right, but it still bothers me how every time we enter one of these temples, common sense gets thrown overboard..." Ukyo grumbled.

She, along with Shampoo, climbed into the water and swum over to the other side. Ruto dove in as well and overtook them in the middle of the room. Ranko wanted to follow her sister, but hesitated when she noticed that Link was still standing at the edge of the water.

"Hey, aren't you coming?"

"Just a moment," Link winced. "I just realized that the wound those nasty Shell Blades gave me turned out to be worse than I thought... give me a second to cure it with a fairy, all right?"

"Okay, but hurry!" Ranko said before jumping in herself and swimming after her sister.

Link reached into his bag and took a bottle.

"Hey, you big brute, I demand that you let me out of here right this..."

Link ignored the constant nagging of the Poe girl and closed his bag. He opened the bottle, and the pink fairy fluttered out.

She smiled at him. "Hi! Thanks again for freeing me from that pot earlier. It was so dark in there, it was scary."

"Don't mention it," Link grinned. "As long as you help me by curing my wound..." And he gestured to his bandaged arm.

"Ah, I see," the fairy nodded. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it..." She flitted around the arm and sprinkled the wound with fairy dust. Within seconds, the wound was healed.

Navi sighed. "I wish I had learned how to use heal magic as well..." she said with envy.

"Well, what am I supposed to say?" the pink fairy asked her. "After all, you are the guardian fairy of a... well, not a Kokiri, but of a mighty handsome boy, if I may say so." She grinned.

Link blushed. "L-look, thank you for the help... but we still have to go on, so if you'd excuse me..." And he jumped into the water to follow his friends.

The pink fairy grinned. "Aw, he's shy. That's so cute..."

"He sure is," Navi giggled. "You can find the way out of here by yourself?"

"Hey, no problem! After all, no monster has ever attacked a fairy before. Good luck on your quest!" And she flew out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Navi flew after Link. On the other side of the pool, his friends were waiting impatiently.

"Hey, slowpoke! Get a move on!" Ukyo shouted.

"Hey, give me a break here!" Link shouted back. "How would you like to be injured by a Shell Blade?"

That's when it happened.

Link only felt a sudden pull on his legs, and all of a sudden, he was dragged underwater. He looked down and only saw that somehow, a hatch had opened at the bottom of the pool, and a powerful suction pulled him down.

"Link!" Ukyo shouted. "Dang, how did that happen?"

"I'll get him!" Ruto shouted and jumped into the pool. "Hang on, love! Help is on the way!"

"Sis, wait..." Ranko gasped.

But it was too late. Link and Navi got pulled into the shaft underneath the pool, and just before Ruto could reach her would-be fiance, the hatch closed in front of her.

"Oh, fishsticks!" she swore. "I was so close..."

Ranko came swimming up to her and took her hand. "C'mon, sis," she said, bubbles rising from her mouth. "Maybe if we're lucky, we'll find a way to catch up with him. He's a strong fighter, so I wouldn't worry too much about him. Let's go... maybe we'll soon find a way to help the other Zoras."

"Yeah..." Ruto murmured sadly. "Link... take care of yourself..."

* * *

Link was lucky that he was wearing his Zora Tunic, otherwise he would have drown for sure. While he was pulled through the twisted shaft he wished he could reach his bag to take out his Iron Boots, but he never got the chance. Next to him, he saw his guardian fairy twirling through the water. Her little body, even more than his own, wasn't strong enough to resist the powerful current, so he reached for her and carefully pulled her close so they wouldn't lose sight of each other.

Suddenly, the shaft made a sharp turn, and then, he and Navi were spouted out of the water, into a huge room. Link rolled over the floor and shielded Navi's body from the impact. Slowly, he stood up.

Navi blinked and raised her head. "We're not dead, aren't we?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"No..." Link replied. "But we got separated from the others.

He let go of his fairy friend, and Navi fluttered up into the air, where she looked around. "Where are we?"

Behind them, the water came shooting out of the shaft and created a powerful jet of water that was shooting upwards. The whole floor of the room was covered with it, so Link was wading through ankle-high water.

But the strangest thing was: This room didn't seem to have any walls. All around them, they could only see the shallow water, and nothing else but a small island of sand that was rising out of it. In the middle of the island, a single tree was standing.

"Do you... do you think we aren't even in the temple anymore?" Link wondered.

"Does this look like Lake Hylia to you?" Navi asked. "Look on the map, we're still in the temple. But something is strange... according to the map, this room shouldn't be endless..."

"So what do we do now?" Link asked and turned around. "I don't see any exit... and I don't think we can go back the way we came." He looked over to the huge water spout.

"I don't know for sure..." Navi murmured. "But somehow I have the feeling we need to go over to that island... maybe we can find some hint there."

Link sighed. "Fine, as long as there's nothing else we can do..."

He walked towards the small island, but just after he had taken a few steps, he felt that something was wrong.

He then realized something. "I'm the only one around here... except for Navi... so where are these other footsteps coming from?"

Indeed, while he was walking, he had heard the splashing of feet directly behind him, as if somebody was following him. He turned around... and saw nobody.

"There's no one here," he sighed and looked down at his mirror image in the water. "But I could have sworn I heard something..."

"Maybe you're just tired," Navi suggested.

Link was about to reply something, when all of the sudden, his mirror image grinned at him. And it wasn't just any grin... it was an evil sneer. And then, his mirror image slowly rose up... but when it came out of the water, it turned deep black, and its eyes were glowing red.

"Finally!" his dark double hissed as it pulled its black sword out of its sheath. "I've been waiting for this moment... murderer!"

"You!" Link shouted and drew the Master Sword. "You're the monster who did all of this! You froze the Zora..."

"Actually, that was Morpha," Dark Link pointed out with a grin. "But since I'm the one who's in charge of the creature, I guess that kind of makes me responsible."

"Kind of?" Link grumbled. "You bastard..."

"You have no right to talk back to me like that!" Dark Link hissed. "You are the one who killed me... without you, I would have never been forced to take on this vile image..."

"What are you talking about?" Link shouted. "I've never seen you before!"

"But you will!" his doppleganger shouted back. "I don't see how I have to explain myself to you... all I want is revenge!" And he raised his blade and charged at the Hero of Time. "Prepare yourself!"

"Oh great..." Link grumbled and welcomed his dark double with the Master Sword. The two blades met in a clash of steel, and the fencing duel between the two warriors began.


	27. Perverted Tentacle Monster

Link and his dark double circled each other, their blades drawn, their eyes always on the enemy. The red, gleaming eyes stared deep into the sky-blue eyes of the Hero of Time.

With no warning, Link struck! He slashed at his evil counterpart, but Dark Link easily countered with his own blade. Link tried a sweeping slash, but Dark Link blocked that one as well. Afterwards, Link swung the Master Sword above his head, but Dark Link simply raised his shield.

"I know your movements..." Dark Link giggled. "I can always predict what you're going to do... and counter any attack of yours." And with a sudden step forward, he thrusted his blade at Link.

Link winced when the dark sword barely missed him, tearing the sleeve of his blue tunic apart.

"Link, look out!" Navi yelped. Link grimaced and blocked Dark Link's continuous attacks with his own blade, but unlike his black double, he started to tire under the enduring assault.

'Time to pull out a few tricks...' Link thought to himself and put some distance between him and Dark Link by doing a backflip. He then quickly reached into his bag and took out the hookshot. While keeping a close eye on his opponent's movements, he took aim and fired the long chain.

Dark Link sidestepped the hookshot and grinned. "Do you think these silly tools of yours could harm me? Think again..."

Link cursed, retracted the hookshot and put it back. Dark Link made no attempt to approach him, he calmly walked up and down and waited for Link's next action with a smirk on his face.

Link thought about it... then he sheathed his sword and took out the bow. He reached back and took an arrow out of his quiver.

'Let's see how you can dodge this one... I've become quite the skilled archer after saving Saria from Phantom Ganon.'

He closed his right eye and pulled back the string. He fired... and the arrow harmlessly bounced off Dark Link's shield.

The dark being laughed. "Did you really think I wouldn't use this shield? Do you honestly believe that you are the only one who can cowardly hide behind such a thing?" He sneered at the green-clad hero. "Now it's my turn..."

He stormed forward, jumped into the air, twirled his sword around... Link jumped sidewards to avoid the powerful slash... and with a powerful motion, Dark Link's black sword came crashing down to the ground, creating a sudden shockwave that threw Link down to the ground.

Dark Link stood up and gave the fallen hero a look of malicious joy. "Your little friend knows that trick, right? Are you surprised that I can use it, even though my weapon isn't as huge and flat as hers? And I didn't even need a fairy to teach me..."

He raised his sword. "The mastery of fencing... my skills with the blade... that's no magic, no dark power. It's in my blood and spirit... just like it is in yours."

He pointed his blade at Link. "You and I we're two sides of the same coin... we're brothers... don't you see?"

"He's crazy..." Navi whimpered. "Link, please watch yourself..."

And then, the evil sneer reappeared on Dark Link's face. "Goodbye... brother!" And he plunged his blade down...

...into the ground. At the very last instant, Link had rolled to the side, so the strike missed him. "Sorry to disappoint you," he grumbled. "But I'm far from finished."

Dark Link pulled his blade out of the ground and growled. "DIE ALREADY!" he shouted and dashed at the hero.

Link welcomed him with his own blade, and then, the two warriors met in a dance of twirling blades and clashing steel. Link then stepped back and attacked Dark Link with a powerful stab... but the evil warrior jumped up and gracefully landed on top of Link's sword.

Link sweated. The weight of his opponent was wearing him out, and if he dropped his sword, he would be defenseless.

Dark Link grinned. "A tricky situation, isn't it? You can't move... while I can..." And he prepared to slash the Hero of Time across the face...

When suddenly, Link used all his power to pull up his sword. The sudden motion made dark Link stagger, and he quickly jumped off. He shook his head angrily. "You dirty little..."

He gasped when he looked back up and noticed that after shaking him off, Link had jumped into the air and now... he was coming at him, his blade raised high above his head...

"HYYYYYAAAAAAAHHH!!" Link yelled as he struck his dark double with the most powerful jump attack he had ever managed to perform in his whole life.

The Master sword slashed right through Dark Link's own, black tunic... and trailed directly along the glowing, red wound on his chest, the one that would never bleed again...

The black sword the dark warrior was holding clattered to the floor. After a while, it dissolved into black smoke and vanished.

Dark Link slumped down. "G-good strike, brother..." he stuttered. "M-maybe... I underestimated you... once again..."

Link stood up and turned around. He looked down at the dark creature that wore his face. They both knew he had won, and so he lowered his blade. "Who are you really?" he asked in a soft voice. "Tell me... and why are you calling me 'brother'?"

Dark Link chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know..." he murmured.

And then... his form started to lose shape. Slowly, his black body deformed itself into a formless, black blob of darkness... which then seeped down into the ground.

Navi sighed with relief. "Link... you won..."

Link nodded. "Yeah..." But for some reason, he didn't feel any triumph. He looked down to where Dark Link had crouched just seconds ago, and suddenly, he saw a small, wooden frame lying on the ground. Link picked it up and took a closer look at it.

It was a tiny drawing, the picture of a motherly-looking, Hylian woman...

* * *

"This is it," Ukyo said, recognizing the 'Boss Door' from the other two temples. "Are you all ready?"

"Wait, shouldn't we wait for Link?" Ruto asked. "Or rather, search for him? Maybe he needs our help..."

Tatl smirked. "Sweetie, believe me... Link rarely needs any help, if there's anything he's good at, it's getting out of trouble."

"Almost as good as his ability to get into trouble," Ukyo murmured. "Anyways, I think he'll be just fine. If we try to find him now, who knows if your people would have enough time left... no, I think we should put an end to this here and now!"

"You're right, Ucchan!" Ranko nodded. "Our people are depending on us, Ruto! I wouldn't want to abandon them... they have become a part of my life, as much as Pops, Mom and you."

"Okay, I think you're right..." Ruto sighed. "Let's go, then!"

"You really want to come with us?" Shampoo asked her fiance's sister, a concerned expression on her face. "It probably gonna be gruesome battle..."

Ruto shook her head. "N-no, I'll come with you! I'm the princess of the Zora, and I've come here on my own decision. I also can fight, remember how you taught me your underwater battle tricks?" She smiled. "I think I'm ready to do this."

Ranko sighed. She didn't like this one bit, but she could tell that Ruto was serious. "All right... but don't take any risks, you hear me?"

Ukyo took the Master Key they found earlier. "Okay, here we go..." She unlocked the door, and they entered.

The room was nothing more than a huge pool of water, with a narrow sidewalk going around it. A few pillars were placed in the pool, creating a couple of platforms that were rising out of the water.

Ukyo blinked. "That's... it?"

"I don't get it," Tatl said. "Where's the big bad monster? There has always been a big bad monster behind those doors."

"I bet it's lurking in the water..." Ranko grumbled and carefully approached the edge of the pool.

"I thought so, too," Ukyo nodded. She took her battle spatula. "Wait here, I'm gonna take a look..."

"Ucchan, wait..." Ranko shouted, but the forest girl had already jumped on one of the platforms. From here, she peered down into the depths.

"I don't see anything..." she murmured. "That water looks kinda strange, though... a bit too blue for my tastes..."

"Ukyo..." Tatl muttered as she flew closely to her friend's head. "I don't think this is normal water... I can feel it, something's lurking down there, stay on guard!"

"No need to tell me twice," Ukyo grumbled. She slowly turned around, waiting for the invisible creature to strike.

She gasped, when all of a sudden, the water rose up in front of her. "What the heck...?"

It was a long, translucent tentacle, formed of the same water the pool was filled with. Ukyo could see at its base that it was merging with the pool water seamlessly. It slowly tilted to and fro, and even though it had no eyes, Ukyo had the impression it was watching her every move.

"That must be it," Ranko growled. "The monster Sheik told us about..."

Shampoo shuddered. "It so... slippery. And drippy. Gives Shampoo ecchi thoughts..."

Ukyo paled. "You're saying it's going to... ravish us?"

She had no time to ponder this, for Morpha suddenly scooped her body up with its long tentacle and pulled her up into the air.

"AAAAAAHHH, NOOO! HELP, I DON'T WANT TO GET TENTACLE RAPED!"

Actually, all Morpha wanted to do was to hurl the Okonomyaki chef across the room, but by accident, the tip of its tentacle found it way underneath UKyo's tunic...

Ukyo's turned red in an instant. "GYYAAAAAAHHHH! Get away from there, you perv!" Freaked out, she flailed around and didn't even think of using her spatula, or any of her other items to get free of the monster's grasp.

"Ucchan!" Ranko shouted. "Let go of her, you ugly slime!" She raised her arms and swiftly hurled her elbow fins at the water tentacle. The fins twirled through the air like boomerangs and cut through the tentacle... without doing it any harm. "What?"

"It no can be harmed with normal attacks," Shampoo realized. "What we do?"

Fortunately, Ukyo's struggling had the desired effect of Morpha dropping her... unfortunately, she was dropped directly in the water.

She shook her head while dropping to the bottom. She then frantically looked around for her opponent.

The tentacle had vanished... but what was that strange shape that was approaching her?

She retched when she saw what it was... it resembled a bloated brain or other pulsating organ, covered with a multitude of spikes... and it was moving through the water as swiftly as a manta ray. And... it was heading directly towards her.

Ukyo gasped and tried to shield the attack with her spatula, but the pulsating object slammed into her before she could do anything... her movement was way too sluggish, she still wasn't used to underwater battle.

She felt as if all the air was being pressed out of her lungs... or was that water? Whatever, her body got slammed backwards against one of the pillars inside the pool.

"Ucchan!" Ranko shouted again. "Shampoo, stay with Ruto!" And she dove into the pool herself.

Ukyo groaned. Her right arm was hurting like hell, and the impact made her lose her main weapon. She was now defenseless, and she didn't know if she could stand another attack like that...

She saw how the spiky brain was zooming through the water. After it had collided with her, it had retreated and was now swimming in a wide arch around the pillars. But, it was coming back... and she knew she would never reach the surface of the pool in time.

But right before that thing could slam into her again, Ranko appeared out of nowhere and threw a powerful punch at the ugly creature.

"You stay away from my friend!" the older Zora princess yelled while her opponent drifted backwards. She then turned to Ukyo. "Ucchan, did the creep hurt you?"

Ukyo shook her head, not being able to talk under water like a Zora.

Ranko smiled. "I'm glad... say, what is that thing? And where did that tentacle vanish to?"

Just then, Tatl came flying. The little fairy was surrounded by a bubble she had conjured up with her magic. "I think I know what's going on," she said. "That blob-like thing is actually Morpha's actual body... it can just control the water to form tentacles and other extremities."

"I see..." Ranko grumbled. "So we have to take out that ugly little thing? No problem!"

"Yeah, but I guess you better head back up to the surface... you might notice that Morpha isn't attacking you anymore."

"What do you...?" Before Ranko could finish her sentence, a high-pitched scream coming from above the water made her freeze.

It had been Ruto's voice.

Realizing that Ranko was a force to be reckoned with under water, Morpha had decided to dislocate the scene of battle above the water level. It had formed another pair of tentacles and attacked the two people it believed to be weaker than those warriors in the pool... Ruto and Shampoo.

Shampoo had been taken by surprise, and a sudden sweep of one of the tentacles had thrown her into one corner of the room. Meanwhile the other tentacle had grabbed Ruto and was now lifting the struggling Zora princess high into the air. Morpha's pulsating main body was now floating up and down the tentacle. If it had a mouth, it would giggle maliciously.

Ruto screamed when she felt the slippery tentacle wrap itself around her body. Ukyo had been right, this felt absolutely inappropriate, especially because she was a princess... and because she was wearing no clothes, thus making her feel every single movement of the tentacle on her skin, may it be on her back, along her arms, on her generous breasts or even in-between her legs...

"NO! NOT THERE!" she yelled. "I WANT TO SAVE MYSELF FOR LINK!"

"HANDS OFF HER, YOU PERVERTED FREAK!"

A blue comet of fury came shooting out of the water. Morpha lost its concentration when Ranko's outstretched fist connected with its body, sending it flying once again. The two tentacles dissolved into water again, and Ruto fell down on one of the platforms with a yelp.

"Owch..." she whined and rubbed her sore bottom. "That hurt..."

In spite of the pain it was feeling, Morpha still tried to retreat back into the water, but Ranko was at its side like a flash and cornered it. "No way I'm gonna let you escape!" she growled.

Shampoo was at her side in no time. "Airen, Shampoo help!"

"Don't forget about me!" Ukyo shouted as she came climbing out of the water, holding her battle spatula. She grabbed it with both hands and saw red when she saw the cornered, flailing form of Morpha in front of them.

"MORPHA NO BAKA!" she yelled and raised her spatula into the air... just to hardly bring it down on the squirming form of Morpha.

"Yeah, time to teach that pervert a lesson!" Ranko grinned.

And together, Ukyo, Ranko and Shampoo piled up on the helpless blob and pounded, kicked and punched it until only a twitching mess was left.

Shampoo raised her scimitar. "Allow Shampoo..."

She pierced the pulsating blob with her sharp weapon. For a short while, Morpha looked like an ugly, bloated balloon on a stick... and then, it exploded outwards, dissolving into pure water.

At the same time, all of the water in the pool got drawn up into one single, huge tentacle that was attached to the ceiling. More and more of the water got absorbed... until the pool was empty.

At first, they thought they had to keep on fighting... but then, they saw the tentacle was shrinking. Little drops of water were trickling down from the ceiling... then the whole tentacle turned into a round blob of water that fell down from the ceiling, hit the floor and popped into hundred little drops that vanished as soon as they hit the floor.

"Um... I guess that water was still part of Morpha," Tatl spoke up. "But destroying the main body made all of it disappear as well."

Ranko and Ukyo didn't listen to her. They just looked at each other, panting hardly.

"Um... you know, you can be pretty scary when you're angry," Ranko then said.

Ukyo blushed, but nodded. "Um... yeah, I know. But you too..."

"Hey, any help here?" Ruto then shouted from the platform she was still standing on. "I can't jump as far as you, you know?"

"Oh, right..." Ranko said. "Sorry, sis!"


	28. Renegade Elder

"Well, this was certainly disgusting," Ukyo remarked.

"You got that right," Ranko nodded. "Hopefully, this will put an end to the drought in Lake Hylia and more importantly, gets rid of the ice in Zora's Domain."

"Does that mean we finally can get out of here?" Tatl asked hopefully.

"Wait a minute!" Ruto protested. "What about Link?"

Just then, the door opened, and a wet, exhausted, but smiling Hero of Time entered the room. "Hey, guys! Looks like I finally caught up."

"Well, about time," Ukyo frowned. "Where have you been all this time?"

Link smirked. "Oh, I just had a run-in with some red-eyed troublemaker."

"You met that creep who looked like you?" Ruto gasped. "What did he do?"

"Oh, he just said some weird stuff and then wanted to kill me..."

"Yeah, but Link showed him that there's a reason why he's the Hero of Time," Navi smiled.

"So you made short work of him?" Ranko grinned. "Wish I were there to see it... I'd have loved to taught that guy a lesson for messing around with my sister..."

"He won't hurt anyone anymore, I made sure of that," Link assured them. Still, he didn't mention the tiny picture he had picked up from the ground...

"Oh, I knew I could count on you!" Ruto squealed and hugged the Hylian boy around his waist. "My fiance is the strongest of them all!"

"Hey, and what am I?" Ranko asked in a mocking tone of voice.

"You're family, so you don't count!" Ruto said and stuck out her tongue at her sister.

"I see you were busy as well," Navi remarked. "So that's it? The Zoras are saved?"

"I know they are," Ruto shouted. "Now everything will be fine."

"Still... I wonder..." Ukyo murmured.

"What spatula girl mean?" Shampoo asked.

"I mean... why did Ganondorf do this? Why did he let Link's dark double and that tentacle monster drain the lake and freeze the Zoras?"

"Duh, because they were resisting him," Ranko spoke up. "I thought that much was obvious, Ucchan."

"Yeah, but if that's all... why did they kidnap your sister?"

"Um, hello? I'm the Hero of Time, remember?" Link reminded her. "They obviously wanted to lure me into a trap."

"They could have done that without Ruto," Navi pointed out. "You would have gone to save the Zoras even if Ruto wasn't kidnapped, right?"

"I can tell you the reason," Ruto said quietly.

"Huh? What do you mean, sis?" Ranko asked.

Ruto looked at her friends seriously. "While I was escaping from Dark Link, I noticed something... I somehow was able to feel anything that happened in this temple... especially in the water. And I could feel the thoughts of every Zora. Most of them are sleeping a deep sleep, but... when you woke up Mom and Dad, I was somehow able to feel it. And when I was trapped by Dark Link, I was thinking of you..."

"Now I know!" Ranko suddenly shouted. "That's the reason why I could feel that you were in danger, back on Death Mountain."

"But why Ruto have these abilities?" Shampoo wondered.

"Because... I am the Sage of Water," Ruto explained.

"Say what?" Ranko gasped.

"Are you kidding?" Ukyo blurted out.

"How do you know THAT?" Link asked.

"I don't know, I just... know," she tried to explain. "This temple is a holy place of Nayru... and as the Sage of Water, I can feel her presence, as well as the presence of the Sages in the Temple of Light... but there are still two missing."

"Does that mean... you won't come home for dinner?" Ranko asked jokingly.

Ruto giggled. "Don't be silly, sis! I have to go and do my duty like all the other sages, that's true, but... after Ganondorf is defeated, I will be able to come back home."

"Ah... and Ryoga can return to Goron City by then?" Ranko asked.

"And Saria to Kokiri Village," Ukyo smiled.

Ruto nodded. Then, she pulled both Ranko and Link close to her. "I'm gonna miss both of you during my stay at the Chamber of Sages... but I'll be thinking of you all the time."

Link sweatdropped. How was he going to make Ruto understand that he couldn't be her fiance? After all, there was another girl he was thinking of right now... but concentrating on her was becoming difficult when the younger Zora princess pressed him even closer against her ample bosom.

Ranko chuckled. "Hey, let go of the poor boy already, sis! Yer giving him a nosebleed."

"Oops, silly me!" Ruto giggled. She let go of them in embarrassment. "Well, I guess I'll be off, then... I will watch you from the Chamber of Sages, Link, Ukyo! Shampoo, Ranko... thanks for coming for my help."

"Anytime, kiddo!" Ranko smirked.

"Shampoo happy to help. Ruto is strong Zora, almost as strong as Gerudo warrior."

Ruto smiled at everyone, then she turned around, touched a wall... and the solid stone surface began to ripple and waver like the surface of a clear lake. Ruto stepped through the water-like wall, the water closed behind her body... and turned back into a solid wall.

Eveyone stared.

"Um, I just take a guess and say that's how the Sage of Water can enter the Chamber of Sages from this temple," Link assumed.

* * *

Sheik was standing at the edge of the small island and watched how the lake was being filled with clear, fresh water.

"That means the curse of Morpha is broken," she smiled underneath her mask. "Well done, Ukyo, Link..."

Suddenly, she heard something... something that approached her current position.

Knowing that Ganondorf's spies were everywhere, she quickly hid behind the tree that was growing on the island.

She narrowed her eyes when she recognized one of the three old hags that worked with the King of Evil...

Cologne dismounted from her broom stick and looked around. "Well, things are starting to get wet around here again," she muttered. "That means son-in-law and that hero boy will be here soon..."

Sheik watched how the wrinkled elder took something out of her robes, a pair of long, thin items, with pointy, glowing tips...

Cologne walked up to the tree. "They won't miss it when I place them here," she said.

Sheik wandered what the Gerudo was up to. Did she lay a trap for Link and the others? And who did she mean when she said 'son-in-law'?

She decided to go for it. After all, she knew that the witch wouldn't be able to recognize her as long as she wore this outfit and mask.

"What are you doing, old hag?" she asked as she stepped out of her hiding place.

Cologne was surprised, but didn't show it. "Ah, the young Sheikah warrior who gives my master so much trouble... weren't you the one who fought the sorceress Veran?"

"That's me! I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah."

"One of the survivors, you mean," Cologne pointed out. "Don't play dumb, child, I know of the Sheikah that are hiding in Kakariko... not that it would matter to the great Ganondorf. You will all fall before his might." She turned around. "You are lucky that I have more important matters to worry about... but your time will come."

She wanted to mount her broom, but a thin chain got wrapped around her body.

"Do you believe I'm going to let you leave like that?" Sheik asked.

Cologne didn't move yet. "Don't be foolish, child! You wouldn't be ready to face me in years."

"I'll be the one to judge that," Sheik shouted. "What did you place underneath that tree? A trap for the Hero of Time?"

'Ah, so you are helping him,' Cologne thought to herself. 'I had my doubts, but now you proved it to me.'

"It's not a trap," she finally said.

"Why should I believe you?" Sheik asked.

The elder of the winds was getting annoyed. "I'm getting tired of this..." she grumbled. With one swift movement, she freed herself from the chains, jumped high into the air and dove straight at the young warrior.

Sheik gasped and raised her arms to counter any attack the hag would throw at her.

Her reaction was swift, and admirable, and against anyone else, she would have succeeded.

But Elder Cologne was the oldest of all Gerudo... and maybe one of the oldest beings in Hyrule, second only to the goddesses themselves and sacred creatures such as Jabu-Jabu.

Sheik could do nothing when the elder suddenly vanished from her sight. And just a second later, the handle of the broom was being pressed against the back of her neck.

"Tag, you're it!" Cologne chuckled. "Will you now stop this foolish game? I'm not here to harm you."

Sighing, Sheik realized that the Gerudo was right. If she wanted to bring her to Ganondorf, she could have done that much earlier.

Cologne nodded when she saw how the Sheikah relaxed. "Very good! Now, if you would just take a look at your so-called 'trap', you'd see that these items are completely harmless."

Sheik turned around to look... and a confused look appeared on her face. She was just glad that Cologne couldn't see it underneath her mask.

"Arrows?" she wondered. "Magical arrows?"

"A gift for the Hero of Time," Cologne explained. "And if you are the honest young person I believe you to be, please don't tell any servant of Ganondorf that I just did this."

It all began to dawn on Sheik. "You are... a renegade," she realized.

"I am still serving Ganondorf," Cologne snapped. "I am not weary of life. It's just that... well..."

Seeing a Gerudo elder shuffle around and glance at her feet in awkwardness was a rare sight, and that alone proved Sheik that her assumption was right.

"My... great-granddaughter has left our tribe," the elder finally explained. "I know that sooner or later, she will have to pay for her crimes against Ganondorf... and the only way I know about to save her is by helping the Hero of Time."

"You couldn't just protect her yourself?" Sheik asked.

Cologne glared up at her. "I am a skilled fighter and desert witch, but Ganondorf is still to dangerous for me. I'm better off as his servant... even if I have to feign loyalty. For now, these presents are all I can offer to the hero's quest."

"Are you sure you can fool Ganondorf?" Sheik asked her. "What if he already knows about your betrayal?"

"Then my life is already forfeit," the wind witch stated grimly.

"It doesn't have to be like this. Other refugees are hiding from Ganondorf as well. You can join them in..."

"Do you honestly believe that Ganondorf doesn't know about your little hideout, rebel?" Cologne asked. "General Onox has been in Kakariko several times over the past few weeks, and since the graveyard is a place where the power of evil is strong..."

"Not evil," Sheik glowered. "Just darkness."

"Whatever..." Cologne sighed. "Let me give you one piece of advice, child: If you value your life, you better stay away from Kakariko."

The way the elder said this made Sheik feel uneasy. "Why? What's happening in Kakariko?"

Cologne hesitated. She was about to give a very valuable piece of information to the enemy... this would seal her fate as a renegade.

But it already was too late, wasn't it? The young Sheikah would tell Link that something was wrong in Kakariko, and if son-in-law and her great-granddaughter heard as well, they could decide to help as well. And Shampoo would, once again, be in danger...

Wasn't it better to make sure they would know what they are up against?

"The Shadow Beast from the bottom of the well..." Cologne muttered. "It made a pact with Ganondorf and is now willing to serve him. It will come back to Kakariko very soon... to take revenge on the woman who sealed it away in the well... and her offspring."

'Oh no!' Sheik thought. 'Impa! Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi! I have to warn them! But, I also have to tell Link...'

"When will it attack?" Sheik asked.

"Pretty soon," Cologne replied. "That's all the help I can give to you, girl! Make use of it as you wish... and don't forget to make sure that hero boy receives those arrows." She pointed at the Fire and Ice Arrows still in Sheik's hands.

She then mounted her broom and wanted to fly away.

"They might kill you if you return now," Sheik said.

Cologne lowered her head. "Maybe," she said quietly. "But I have to return... at least one of the Gerudo elders must try to bring her people back on the right path."

And then, she flew off.

* * *

"Hi there!" Ruto cheerfully said as she sauntered towards her fellow Sages. "I'm Ruto, princess of the Zora, and I'm heard you are in need of a Water Sage... do I get the job?"

Saria and Ryoga grinned at each other. Ryoga definitely could see the family resemblance to Ranma.

Rauru chuckled. "Welcome, Princess Ruto! I am Rauru, Sage of Light, and these are the Sages of the Forest and Fire, Saria and Ryoga."

"Hi guys!" Ruto waved. She then looked around. "Say, this is a pretty fancy place you've got here... what do you do around here?"

"Well, we mostly watch the progress of the Hero of Time," Rauru explained. "So we can see how close he is to find a new sage."

"Sounds neat," Ruto said. "I like the idea of watching my Linky-poo the whole time..."

Saria boggled. "L-linky-poo...?" she stuttered.

"Yeah, isn't he dreamy?" Ruto sighed. "Such a handsome man... I am really lucky to have such a good-looking fiance. Oh, I guess you probably couldn't tell, but just wait until you grow up..."

Now Saria was more than miffed. "Fiance!? What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you know?" Ruto asked in surprise. "It was me who gave the Zora Sapphire to him."

"Well, I guess that's obvious, but why...?"

"I think I see..." Rauru sighed. "In the culture of the Zoras, the Sapphire is a sign of engagement between couples..."

"You know your stuff, old man!" Ruto smirked. "That's right, Link and I will marry... hopefully as soon as Hyrule is saved."

Saria was a very kind and gentle girl, and usually nice to everyone she gets to know... but after hearing those words, she felt - a rare occurence - how a surge of anger rose up inside of her.

"Excuse me, but Link is my childhood friend, and the two of us are VERY close, so..."

Ruto blinked. "Childhood friend?" She then snickered. "Ah, I see, you mean you looked up to him like some sort of big brother. Listen, I can understand that even girls your age might develop a crush on older boys, but don't you think you should wait before you find yourself a nice boy, when you are older?"

"I... I am older than you!" Saria even raised her voice this time.

"Saria... is a Kokiri," Rauru quickly explained. He was getting worried after seeing how the two female Sages acted towards each other. "Kokiri never grow up, you see?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't become as mature as an adult Hylian... or Zora, for that matter!" Saria proclaimed. "And, being the mature girl I am, I'm going to wait until Link is ready for a relationship... I would never rush him like you do!"

"Rush him? What do you mean? He accepted the Zora Sapphire already, so I guess that means he chose me," Ruto said with a deep frown. "No matter if you are a child or not, he chose me back when WE were children, which means he already made up his kind back then."

"Did you ever consider that he didn't even know what an engagement gift is?" Saria asked. "Link didn't even have the time to grow up like we did... he was forced into the adult body he has now."

"Listen, girl, puberty is something completely normal, and while I understand that you are a bit envious because you never will undergo anything similar..."

"It wasn't puberty!" Saria yelled.

For the first time, she realized how loud she had spoken. Embarrassed, she pulled back her head and blushed.

"She's right, you know?" Ryga decided to interfere. "I couldn't believe it either, the first time I heard... but Link and Ukyo were frozen in time after Link pulled out the Master Sword. He was given an adult's body, to fit in with the lost years, but he kept the mentality of a child."

"A... a child?" Ruto gasped. "That can't be... I clearly saw how he used that sword in battle. No child could ever look so dashing and skilled with a blade like the young man he has become..."

"Link has always been skilled with the sword," Saria said, this time a bit more subdued. "Did you know he and Ukyo killed a monstrous spider queen all by themselves?"

"And don't forget how he helped your sister when she saved you from Barinade," Rauru pointed out. "He was the Hero of Time, even back then."

"You... you know about that?" Ruto asked surprised. "But... but if he's still a child in mind... and never knew about our engagement..." She gasped. "Does that make me a pedophile?"

The other Sages all sweatdropped.

* * *

"I see you made it back," the Sheikah warrior said when the small group came wading out of the lake, which was once again filled with clear water. "Thanks to you, Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain are saved."

"Sheik," Link said in surprise.

"Did you just wait here to tell us that?" Ukyo asked while raising an eyebrow.

"I waited here for a certain, very serious reason, Ukyo," Sheik said. "I have to things for you. First, a gift..." She held up the two magical arrows she had received from Cologne.

Shampoo gasped. "Aiya! Those are Ice and Fire Arrows, sacred Gerudo relics! How mystery-boy get them?"

"I had an encounter with... a very interesting person," the Sheikah explained. "An old woman you might know pretty well, young Gerudo warrior."

"Great-grandmother!" Shampoo shouted. "She was here? Please, you tell Shampoo everything... what great-grandmother say? Why she came here? Why bring sacred arrows?"

"She... did not tell me all of her ambitions... but she made sure that she wanted to aid the Hero of Time's quest. That is why she is offering these magical arrows to you, Link!"

Link accepted the arrows from Sheik. "How... how do they work?"

"Just put them into your quiver with your normal arrows," Sheik said. Having studied ancient Hyrule history, she knew about many old artifacts. "From now on, you will be able to call upon their powers every time you draw an arrow... and engulf your enemies with ice or flames. Nor for the second part... Elder Cologne also wanted me to give you a message."

"A message?" Ukyo wondered. "What kind of message?"

"She told me that an old evil has awoken... disturbed by a battle that happened in Kakariko."

"Kakariko?" Link asked with worry. "Are Impa and her daughters all right?"

"I believe nobody was hurt... but the ancient evil, the Shadow Beast, is now free. It now is working for Ganondorf... and from what the Gerudo elder told me, it will go back to Kakariko, to finish what it started."

Tatl sighed. "We just don't get any break here, do we?" she muttered. "We take care of one problem, and the next one is bound to show up. Do you even know what she told you is true?"

"Great-grandmother is honorable Gerudo," Shampoo angrily said, glaring at the yellow-glowing fairy. "She would never lie about stuff like that. She say Shadow Demon Thing comes, then Shadow Demon Thing will come."

Link sighed. "I guess we should leave then, and try to reach Kakariko as quickly as possible... maybe they'll need our help."

"Yeah, I agree," Ukyo nodded. "I'm worried about those villagers that can't properly fight back, such as Akari... say, are you guys coming, too?"

"I'm sorry, Ucchan..." Ranko said. "I'd love to help, but I have to make sure that my people are okay... and I have to tell Mom what happened to Ruto. She'll be worried sick."

"Shampoo stay with Airen," Shampoo stated. "Is sad that great-grandmother didn't stay to see her, but also happy that she ready to help."

"I suppose you're right," Ukyo nodded. "Sheik, what about you, do you...?" She looked around. The Sheikah was gone. "Oh, where did he go now?"

"He bailed again?" Tatl groaned. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Link then thought he'd hear a loud splash, but when he looked around to where the noise had come from, he didn't see anyone in the water... just a big bird that flew away from the lake.


	29. Prince Ranma

Ukyo glared at Link while she was putting more wood onto the fireplace.

"To say it again," Link sighed. "I am sorry. I really believed we could have made it to the farm in time." He looked across the nightly plains, at the distant silhouette of the Lonlon Ranch, which was only illuminated by the pale moon. "Darn, the sun really does set pretty quickly, doesn't it?"

"We could have used the Warp Spot to return to Zora's Domain," Ukyo grumbled. "We could have asked the proprietor of that Lakeside Laboratory for a place to stay. But nooo, Mr. 'We can make it in Time' had to make a point..."

Link exchanged a helpless glance with Epona. The brown mare shook her mane in amusement. Humans could be so funny at times. She might have looked forward to a nice stable to spend her night in as well, but this time, she just couldn't help but this served the humans right for having forgotten her in the Lost Woods all the time.

"In the woods, we could have asked a few of our friends to provide some light," Navi apologized. "But fairies tend to be rather rare in the open field."

"Could be because certain Hylians have the strange habit of putting us into bottles," Tatl remarked sarcastically.

Link sighed again. "Oh well, at least we don't have to worry for having anything for dinner... I mean, we have one of the best Okonomiyaki Chefs with us, right, 'Ucchan'?" He grinned.

Ukyo glared up at him. "Sorry, we're fresh out of Okonomiyaki!"

Link boggled. "Wh-what? What do you mean, fresh out?"

"It means that our supplies have run out," Ukyo remarked while reaching into her bag. "Here, a bit of bread and some cheese... that's all that remains from Darunia's lunch bag. And we didn't really have much time to get any provisions from the frozen Zora, right?"

The Hero of Time groaned. "And here I was looking forward to a nice evening meal..."

"Look at it like this," Navi smiled. "Tomorrow, we'll be at the farm, and which better place to stock up on provisions is there? We'll have Lonlon Milk, Cucco Eggs..."

Link's tummy rumbled. "Stop talking like that!" he complained. "Hearing you talk is making me hungry!"

Navi blushed. "S-sorry about that, Link..."

So they sat down and ate their meager dinner, while Epona munched on some grass.

"I just hope no Poes attack us during the night," Tatl then said.

They kept eating for a while.

Suddenly, they could hear something... it was a frightening scream, high-pitched and blood-curdling.

Navi yelped and dove under Link's cap. "The ghosts are coming!"

"Don't be such a scaredy cat," Link frowned. "We've fought Poes and other undead before, remember?"

The blue fairy peeked out from underneath his cap. "Y-yes, but they've never attacked us at night yet..."

Tatl looked around uncomfortably. "M-maybe they'll go away if we don't bother them..." she muttered.

"Are you saying you are scared?" Ukyo asked.

"M-m-me?" Tatl stuttered. "N-no way! All I'm saying is... it would be better if we didn't have to fight them, right?"

Suddenly a thin figure came running out of the darkness. It was wrapped in a ragged cloth and waved around with its spindly arms, yelling like a madman.

"Here it comes!" Link shouted, reaching for the hilt of his blade. "Prepare yourselves!"

"Wait a minute..." Ukyo murmured. "Something's wrong here..." she stepped past the confused Link, not bothering to draw her weapon and stood in front of the approaching figure.

"Hey, hold on!" she shouted.

The cloaked figure yelped in fright and fell back on its behind. "Another g-ghost?" a male voice whimpered.

Ukyo shook her head. "Wrong, sugar, we're just a couple of wandering adventurers... but what are you doing here, all by yourself?"

"You're no ghost?" the stranger asked in a hopeful voice and pulled back the hood that had covered his face, revealing a very thin and pale face, looking almost like a ghost himself.

The boy sighed in relief. "Man, I am so glad... I've been stumbling around the plains for hours, trying to find my way back to town... and when those Poes appeared, I was so scared that I ran away..."

"Town?" Link wondered. "You came from Hyrule Town? But... but nobody lives there anymore. It's a ghost town."

"Th-that's right," the stranger nodded while Link pulled him to his feet. "That's exactly why I decided to put up my store in there... after all, where else would you find the most ghost than in a ghost town?"

"Wait a minute..." Tatl frowned. "Didn't you just say you are afraid of ghosts?"

"I can't help it," the boy whined. "My store has been a family business for centuries, and naturally, my father wanted me to continue the tradition..."

"And what kind of store is it you are running?" Ukyo asked.

"I'm a g-ghost merchant," the boy explained. "I buy Poe souls in exchange for rupees. And ever since Ganondorf had became king, business has improved visibly. Now if only I could overcome my fear of ghosts..."

"Come on and have some bread," Ukyo said, and together, they sat down around their fire. "My name's Ukyo, by the way!"

"And I'm Link!" the Hero of Time introduced himself. He gestured up to his cap. "That's my fairy companion, Navi!"

"I... is it safe to come out?" she muttered, crawling out of her hiding place.

"Some hero's companion you are..." Tatl grumbled.

"H-hey, you were as scared as me," Navi protested.

"Me? Of that guy? In your dreams, maybe!" She looked at their guest. "Oh, and I'm Tatl."

"Um... nice to meet you all," the cloaked stranger replied. "I am Hikaru... Hikaru Gosunkugi. Owner of the Gosunkugi Ghost Market."

Ukyo raised an eyebrow. "A ghost store..."

"Um, right," Ukyo nodded sheepishly.

Ukyo sighed. "I don't understand you... if you are so afraid of ghosts, why don't you just do something else?"

"I... I promised my father before he died," Gosunkugi mumbled. "Besides, handling supernatural entities is pretty much the only thing I'm good in, even if they frighten me to death..."

"Don't you have any special outstanding attribute?" Navi asked.

"No..." Gosunkugi sighed. "My father always used to say: 'Boy, the only thing that outmatches your lust for young girls is your fear of ghosts..."

Ukyo stared at the ghost merchant for a while, then she scooted a good distance away from him. That boy was seriously freaking her out...

Link grinned. "Well, if you buy Poe souls, and like cute girls, I think I have just the right thing for you..."

And he pulled a certain bottle out of his bag.

The little Poe girl inside the bottle pounded her little fists against the glass.

"Hellooooooo!" she shouted. "Let me out of here!"

Gosunkugi's eyes went wide when he saw the ghost girl. He crawled over to Link and brought his face as close to the bottle as possible.

"So cute..." he whispered.

Mariko grimaced and backed off until she touched the back wall of her glass prison. "Who's that creep?" she muttered.

Gosunkugi licked his lips and looked up at Link with hopeful eyes. "You... you'd be willing to sell her to me?"

Link grinned. "That depends... what are you willing to pay?"

Gosunkugi reached into his pockets and pulled out a sizeable amount of Rupees.

"How about 200 Rupees and this brand-new large wallet?"

Link nodded. "Sold."

Mariko squeaked when she was handed over to the creepy guy in the torn robe.

Gosunkugi snickered. "Don't worry, my love, I'll keep you safe... and I'll always carry you with me, in my robe, close to my heart!"

"No way!" the Poe screamed. "You can't do that to me! That's inhumane! Lemme go, lemme go LEMME GO!!"

"A deal is a deal," Link smirked and accepted his new, Rupee-filled wallet.

"Nooooooooo..." Mariko wailed while her bottle vanished in the depths of Gosunkugi's robes...

Ukyo shuddered. "When I die, I don't plan on becoming a Poe..." she grumbled. "Not as long as this guy is around..."

* * *

Ranko smiled when she came out of the teleporter that connected Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain.

The water was warm. It was so pleasantly warm, it made her feel all fuzzy. Playfully, she twirled around in the water, turned to face her fiancee and spoke, bubbles coming out of her mouth: "Shampoo! Do you see? Water! Crystal clear, warm, life-giving, absolutely wonderful water! I just love it!"

Shampoo smiled at her currently female husband and gestured to the surface with her thumb.

"Oh, yeah... we probably should go out of the pond," the Zora princess chuckled bashfully.

When they broke through the surface together, they were faced with an unusual view... all of the Zoras were standing aligned at the edge of the lake, and it was every single Zora of the kingdom. In front of them, Ranma's parents were standing... and even King Zora himself had managed to drag his heavy self down here from his throne room.

"Brave heroes," he said in his gurgling voice. "Strong warrior Shampoo from the desert... and Ranko, beloved princess of our kind... thanks to what you helped to accomplish, our tribe was saved. And even though the heroes that helped you on your quest aren't here today... we still want to think of them, too, while we are honoring you. We are forever grateful..."

And with these words, the king lowered his bulky head. All around him, the Zoras fell down on their knees and paid their respect to their princess and the purple-haired Gerudo. Nodoka and Genma smiled at each other and lowered their heads as well.

Ranko was blushing so much, she almost turned green in front of them. She helped her fiancee out of the water and scratched her pigtail-like head fin. "Aw, gee, it was nuthin'... I would've done it either way... but, ya know... it was good to know that it was my tribe I could help. That is, one of my tribes."

Confused murmurs were rising among the Zoras, since most of them did not know of their older princess' mixed heritage. But Ranko didn't want to keep it a secret any longer.

"That's right," she boldly said and stepped forth. "I'm sick of lying anymore... you all might know that I am your queen's child, and only Princess Ruto's half-sister... but except for my family, and King Zora himself, I've never told any of you that I was born a Hylian."

A few sharp gasps could be heard, and Ranko half expected most of them to become angry. But they mostly were confused.

Nodoka realized what her child was about to do and brought her some hot water, and a pair of clean pants. Ranma's whole body was soaked, but she didn't bother about dry clothes right now. She quickly put on the pants, while the Zoras watched in befuddlement. She then accepted the hot kettle from her mother with a thankful smile... and poured its contents over her head.

The Zoras shouted out in surprise when, in front of their eyes, their beautiful princess turned into a young, muscular, handsome Hylian male with a black pigtail, wearing a pair of wet pants and nothing else.

"That's right, I'm half Hylian," Ranma said, not afraid of any consequences anymore. No matter if the Zoras accepted him or not, he knew he would be accepted by his family. And he didn't want to hide the truth anymore. "I was born as the son of your Queen Nodoka... and Genma Saotome, the Hylian standing in front of you." He gestured at his father.

Genma groaned. "Well done, son, now they will drive us away... just like in old times..."

Ranma ignored what his father said. "I was born and raised as a Hylian boy, and my father trained me in the martial arts... until we came to a place you might be familiar with. You know what I mean, right... the sacred grounds of Jusenkyo! Falling into one of the cursed springs, I now turn into a female Zora every time I come in contact with cold water."

He made a short pause, to see if anyone was getting upset. But everyone was watching him in astonishment.

Ranma went on: "So, I must admit, I was pretty anxious before coming here for the first time, and I never believed I would ever say this, but... I enjoyed being a Zora. And yes, I enjoyed being a princess!"

Genma had a strange feeling of doom when he heard his son speak those words. Cringing, he looked over to Nodoka... who had a proud look upon her face as she looked at her son.

"I now have a big family," Ranma smiled. "I have a younger sister, and I even consider King Zora as some sort of second father... and, to be honest, he and my Pops are surprisingly familiar, aren't they?"

Nobody laughed out loud, out of respect for the king, but Ranma could see how a few Zoras were smirking or even chuckling quietly because of his remark. This gave him the courage to keep on talking.

"As for the rest of you... well, whoever can say that he has two tribes he belongs to? Two homes to return to? Two families to enjoy? Because, actually, that's what you are to me: A big family. You accepted me, welcomed me as your princess and helped me to enjoy my stay. And the seven years I've spent with you were the seven most enjoyable years of my life. I know that there might be several among you who might feel disappointed, maybe even betrayed by my true self... but would it really be better to keep on living a lie? I don't think so! It will be weird, granted, but I want to keep on living as both: Ranma Saotome, man amongst men... and Princess Ranko of the Zora. Now it is up to you, if you accept me..."

'That's it...' Genma thought. 'The lazy days as King Zora's best buddy are over... no more lounging around in the hot springs... no more delicious - and free - sushi...'

Shampoo and Nodoka, however, looked at Ranma proudly. They knew he had taken a big risk by revealing his secret, but maybe now, that he showed him who he really was, by defeating Morpha in the Water Temple... maybe now they also were ready for the truth.

Shampoo stood at her Airen's side, willing to always support him, and gently took his hand. No matter what, they would always have each other.

King Zora waited as well. It would be for the best of all, he decided. He could not force the Zora to accept something they did not want, so if they decided to chase Ranma away, there would be nothing much he could do against it. But he would always support his wife's children, that's something he had sworn to himself.

And then, one of the Zoras decided to clap his hands. Hesitantly, other followed, until the whole crowd was enthusiastically applauding and cheering: "Long live Prince Ranma! Long live Prince Ranma! Long live Prince Ranma!"

Ranma couldn't help himself... the biggest smile of his life had just appeared on his face, and with pure glee, he leapt up, into the air, gave off a whoop of joy... and fell back into the cavern pond with a big splash.

Shampoo winced when she got a face full of water. "Good that Shampoo no has Jusenkyo curse..." she murmured to himself while wringing out her hair. "She wetter than cat in rain..."

Ranko surfaced, once again female and fish-like and spat out some water. She grinned. "I guess getting wet is now part of my life."

Everyone laughed at that.

* * *

Later, after turning back into a male again, Ranma joined his parents, King Zora and Shampoo in the throne room.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I've talked so much about me, and you all must be worried sick about Ruto... but don't worry, she's fine!"

King Zora smiled at the pig-tailed youngster. "Actually, we already know about that," he said. "Shortly after the ice melted, we received an outstanding vision, appearing in the waterfall... it was the face of my beloved daughter Ruto, and she told us all about the good news. I must say, I am rather proud as a father that she has now awoken as the Sage of Water. Of course, we all know about the old legends..."

"She also introduced us to the other Sages," Nodoka smiled. "I must say, it was quite the surprise to see that your old friend, Ryoga, has also become a Sage."

Ranma chuckled. "Yeah, who would have thought that... old rockhead Ryoga, a Sage... but I've gotta say, he makes a damn good Sage of Fire. After all, he helped to save his people from Ganondorf.

"So did you, son," King Zora smiled. "So did you."

Ranma grinned. "Well, I couldn't possibly leave you all on ice, 'Dad'."

"But don't let that get to your head, Ranma!" Genma scolded. "Being a prince doesn't mean you are allowed to start slacking on your training. There's still plenty much I can teach you, such as..."

Genma wanted to keep on speaking, but then he slipped on the wet floor... and fell into the water himself. His fur dripping, Genma-Moosh scowled at his family and raised a sign:

'I know what you are about so say, so don't say it...'

Nodoka snickered. "Oh no, Genma, I would never dare to say that you don't even need Ranma to kick you into the water anymore... you can perfectly make a fool out of yourself without any help."

'You had to say it, No-chan...' the winged, wet bear signed grumpily.

Shampoo brought her mouth close to Ranma's ear. "Airen... can we talk?"

Ranma nodded and followed his fiancee outside, to Zora's Spring.

The parents looked at each other and smiled.

"Let's give the children some time for themselves," Nodoka suggested.

"Agreed, dear!" King Zora nodded.

* * *

Together, Ranma and Shampoo leapt up to the huge tree that was rising out of the clear spring water. They sat down and looked at the spot where Lord Jabu-Jabu had been before Morpha had put its curse on Zora's Domain.

'I really hope he will come back soon...' Ranma thought.

"Ranma?" Shampoo spoke up.

Ranma frowned. She rarely called him Ranma when addressing him directly, she usually called him 'husband' or 'Airen'. He realized that something important must be on her mind.

"What's up, Shampoo?" he asked.

The Gerudo looked at her beloved one with a serious expression. "Shampoo... I... I have been thinking," she said, trying hard to speak proper Hylian for the first time. "When Great-Grandmother appeared... had appeared at Lake Hylia earlier, Sham... I was wondering: Is she starting to do the right thing. Will she... listen to reason? Does she think that Gerudo no are... that our tribe is not just a tool for Ganondorf's schemes?"

Ranma sighed. "I'm not sure, Shampoo," he finally said. "I mean, sure, she gave Link those magical arrows, and she warned them of that Shadow Demon that's going to attack Kakariko... but, after all she has done... after all she has said, I don't know if I could ever trust her. Do you remember the first time I met her? Do you remember what she called you? She called you an 'honorless traitor', and even worse, a 'half-breed's whore'. I will never forget these words, Shampoo... never!"

"W-well, Great-Grandmother... she was very upset that day, of course she would be. The traditions... have always been very important to her, and Shampoo is sure... I'm sure she would like to take it back if she could."

"If it only were that simple, Shampoo..." Ranma murmured. "After all, she brought those twin witches on our trail... that's what made us outlaws in the first place."

"It no is Great-Grandmother's fault!" Shampoo insisted, falling back into her regular speech pattern. "Elders Koume and Kotake were just using her to find us. She never attacked, only Twinrova witches did. Besides, everyone who is against Ganondorf is an 'outlaw' in their eyes."

"I have to agree with you there," Ranma grumbled. "Nothing against your tribe, Sham-chan, but those two old crones are really the worst example of how a tribe leader should be."

"Great-grandmother not like that, Shampoo knows..." the Amazon said softly. "And that... that is why... I want to ask you to come with me."

"Come?" Ranma wondered. "Where?"

"Gerudo Valley," his fiancee replied.

Ranma sighed again. "I see..." he muttered. "You want to know if you are right about her..."

"That one of the reasons," Shampoo admitted. "But if Great-Grandmother really had a change of heart, she is in great danger. Ganondorf and Twinrova would never accept a traitor in their middle, especially not one so close to the king himself. If they found out she helped us... than Ganondorf's wrath will be truly horrible!"

"I think I understand," Ranma nodded. "I never hesitated once when I realized that Ruto or Mom were in danger... you still love her, don't you?"

"She is my great-grandmother," Shampoo said. "Family ties are important among the Gerudo, just like in other tribes as well."

"But didn't you tell me yourself that your aunt... well... that Cologne has to do something with it?"

"She has to be alive," Shampoo whispered. "She has to. She always was like a mother to me, and great-grandmother cared for her as much as she cared for me. Only because of her influence became Auntie Nabooru second-in-command. And even if she was responsible for her disappearance... I still want to hear the truth from her. I will go. If you want to come or not, is up to you."

"Do you think I'd let you go back there by yourself?" Ranma asked and hugged her. "I would never abandon you. If you decide to go, I'll go with you. I will always stay by your side." He then chuckled. "Or do you think I would have married you otherwise?"

Shampoo chuckled back. "Airen beat Shampoo in combat, but Airen not really knew male who beat Gerudo warrior becomes husband."

"Well, we still are married, according to your tribe's laws, aren't we?" Ranma smiled and looked into her deep, blue eyes.

She smiled back at him. "Maybe we should have a traditional Hylian wedding ceremony... then we know for sure that we are married..."

"I have no objections..." he murmured while they slowly met in a soft kiss...


	30. Navi's slip of the tongue

The next morning, right after the first sunrays were cast upon the Plains of Hyrule, Gosunkugi left the two heroes to return back to his Ghost Market. For some twisted reason, the only place where he felt safe and secure were his own, confined rooms, between dusty shelves and ghost-filled bottles, knowing that they wouldn't be able to do anything to him anymore. While he was afraid of Poes that were roaming Hyrule freely, he simply adored having their spirits trapped in bottles.

Ukyo wasn't too disappointed to see him go. "He was a weirdo, that's for sure," she grumbled while they continued their own journey.

"Well, maybe, but I prefer the company of a weirdo to the company of Ganondorf's creatures," Link remarked while slowly riding alongside his friend.

"LonLon Ranch ahead," Navi shouted. "You still wanna drop in for a visit? I mean, that shadow demon's probably not gonna wait for us..."

"We need more provisions," Link said. "And we still have half of the way before us. We're just gonna say hello, ask for some food and leave."

Tatl giggled. "I bet Malon would like you to stay a bit longer," she smirked.

"Well, me too," Link replied, once again completely missing what Tatl was getting at. "I mean, I like the ranch, and Malon and her Dad are nice people... but Navi is right, we can't wait for too long."

"Y-yes, we have to go," the blue fairy quickly nodded. "No time to stay, no, no!"

'And certainly no time for Malon to flirt with Link,' she thought. 'After all, he has already Saria... it'S bad enough that Ruto has such a big crush on him.'

She definitely didn't feel jealous because of the many girls that were throwing themselves at her Link. Nope, no way, definitely not, not in a thousand years!

Ukyo sighed. "Well, having LonLon Milk on the trip sure sounds great... it's not like we can live on a water and red potion diet."

When they had reached the ranch, Link patted his brown mare's neck affectionally. "See that, Epona? You're back home!"

Epona snorted happily. She knew she wouldn't stay the night in a warm stable this time, but at least she was able to see Malon... she knew the red-headed girl always had sugar lumps in her pockets. And if she was lucky, she'd even have the time to nip the clumsy Taro's backside...

Taro was just coming out of the stables when they arrived. He welcomed them with a smirk. "Well, if it isn't the green duo of the forest! I knew you'd be back sooner or later."

"Hello, Taro!" Ukyo smiled. "We've just been on our way to Kakariko, and we thought, while we're here, why not drop in and say hello?"

Taro grinned. "And it doesn't have anything to do with our famous country food, does it?"

Link chuckled and scratched his head. "Guilty as charged. Yeah, we need a few provisions, and we thought you could help us out..."

"No problem!" a cheerful voice coming from the horse pasture said. "After all you did for us, giving you some food is the least we could do." Malon gave the green-clad heroes a warm smile. "Hey there, fairy-boy, fairy-girl!"

Link waved. "Hello, Malon!"

Ukyo frowned. "My name is UKYO, got it?"

Malon grinned. "Whatever you say, fairy-girl!"

Ukyo groaned.

Malon giggled and then petted Eponas head. "Hey, Epona! Missed me, didn't you, girl? Did Link treat you well?"

'As if, he left me waiting in the forest, for hours,' the mare thought to herself. But since she felt generous today, she simply snorted and searched around Malon's pockets with her wet snout.

"Ooooh, so you know what's in there?" Malon laughed and pulled out a couple of sugar lumps. "You're almost as greedy as Daddy, girl! But here you go!"

While Malon fed Epona the sugar, Link jumped off her back. Malon welcomed him with a wide smile. "So, fairy-boy... you just couldn't stay away, huh? You had to come back, right?"

Link smiled back. "No, of course not!"

'I knew it...' Malon thought and sighed dreamily. 'He came back for me...'

"Yes, it's hard to resist the call of destiny, isn't it?" she murmured and fluttered her eyelashes.

"You can say that again," Link nodded, causing Malon's heart to jump.

"Y-you mean it?" she muttered.

"Of course! Heck, the only reason I took this job is because I pulled the Master Sword out of the stone. Stupid destiny... if not for Ganondorf, I'd already be back in the forest, with my friends, instead of trying to stop a shadow demon from destroying Kakariko..."

Malon blinked. "Shadow Demon? Kakariko?" She felt like she was the victim of an insider joke.

Ukyo sighed. "Malon, I have the feeling the two of you are getting your wires crossed..."

Taro chuckled. "No kidding!"

Link didn't quite understand what everyone was talking about, so he just said: "Anyways, Malon... we're in a bit of a hurry, so can you bring us some milk, some bread, maybe a few eggs?"

Malon glared at him. "Sure, if all you need to be happy is FOOD, then I'll be happy to help!"

Link grinned. "Hey, thanks! You're a great pal, Malon!"

Malon angrily stormed off. In no time, she had packed a bag with provisions, walked back outside and shoved it into the baffled Link's hands. "There! Take your food! Be happy with it! Marry it, if you want! I'm done here!"

And then she turned around and stomped back to the only people who really understood her: Her beloved horses.

Link blinked, his arms full with food, and looked after the enraged girl.

Taro walked up next to him and shook his head. "Buddy, I think you messed up..."

Link looked up at him. "Um... Taro? What does 'marry' mean? Is that a special way to prepare lunch?"

The burly farm hand facefaulted.

* * *

Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, was slowly walking through the ruins of Hyrule Town. In her right hand, she was holding an old and rusty sword... the same sword she had found in the ruined castle not too long ago, and which she had brought to her lord and master.

'If Lord Ganondorf finds out that I took the sword, I'll be in trouble,' she thought. 'But I just have to find out who the true wielder of this blade has been in life.'

She looked at the sword's handle, where she saw a special emblem: A stylized lily.

She knew this emblem too well, it was the sign of one of the richest families in Hyrule, after the royal family itself: The Saginomiya Family! The last heir to that family, the snotty Asuka, had been Princess Kodachi's rival for Captain Mikado's affections, and her nickname had always been 'The White Lily'. But if this blade truly had been in her family's possession, how had it become the sword of Dark Link? Or rather, the person he had been in life?

The first time Veran had found the sword, she had seen the emblem, but didn't realize it. It still seemed familiar to her, and a few hours ago, she finally remembered where she had seen it before. And now she just had to find out what this was all about...

"Dark Link..." she muttered. "Who are you...?"

She didn't realize it, but what she was doing right now contradicted all of the obedience spells the Poe Sisters had put on her mind. She wasn't supposed to have a free will, no matter if she remembered her previous life or not. But now, that most of the sisters were destroyed, the barriers of restriction in her mind were slowly dissipating...

She angrily blasted a few Redeads who wanted to come too close to her and kept on walking, until she reached her destination: The old manor and trading house of the Saginomiya family.

Using her magic, she opened the rusty door with a single blast of dark energy. She then walked inside and proceeded to search every corner of the abandoned building, until she found something very interesting in an old storeroom, in-between dirty rags and broken bottles.

It was an invoice. An invoice for a sword that had been forged by the local armorer for none other than 'Asuka Saginomiya'.

Veran frowned. That bitch Asuka had never been a warrior, nor did she fancy sharp and heavy weaponry as decorations... so why on Hyrule would she order such a blade to be made? She would have to further investigate.

But the final clue waited for her in the old bedroom of the White Lily, in the ruined remains of her old armoire... it was Asuka's diary.

She thumbed through the still intact book until she reached the last page on which Asuka had written.

'Dear diary,' she read. 'Today, I will finally propose to my beloved Captain Mikado. I have a present for him that he cannot refuse. I ordered the local armorer to forge a noble blade for my noble warrior, a sword which he may use to smite all the evil fiends that are threatening our kingdom. I made sure that our family emblem would be engraved on the sword's handle, so that he always knows that it will be my love that protects him. He will just have to realize that I am the only one for him, not that stuck-up Princess Kodachi! I will go and bring it to him this evening.'

The diary slipped out of the sorceress' fingers and fell to the dusty floor. Her eyes simply stared ahead.

"So... this is your horrible secret, Dark Link..." Veran muttered. "Your secret identity..."

She took a deep breath. "You have been none other... than my beloved one, Captain Mikado!"

* * *

"I don't get it, Ukyo..." Link murmured while he rode across the plains. "Why was Malon so upset?"

Ukyo, who was sitting behind him, for once, sighed. "Link, I think it was obvious. I mean, both of us didn't have the time to grow up like they did, granted, but even I know why boys and girls like each other."

Link scratched his head. "Uh... because they're good friends?"

Ukyo clonked him on the head with one of her smaller spatulas. "Try again, silly."

Link rubbed his head. "What did you do that for? I mean, what else is there...?"

Ukyo groaned. "Listen, let me spell it out for you: Malon-is-in-LOVE-with-you!"

The swordsman blinked. "Love? As in, like a sibling?"

Navi had heard enough. She flew in front of Link's face, looked at him sternly and shouted: "It means she thinks you are the one for her! The one she wants to spend her life with! The one she wants to MARRY! The one she wants to have children with! The one I could never be..."

She slapped her hands in front of her little mouth. "Oh dear..." she whispered. "I d-didn't mean it like that, Link, I... I... oh no, no..." She hovered backwards. "S-s-sorry about this, Link..."

Tatl whistled. "Man, who knew you'd have the guts to finally spit it out," she said.

"N-navi?" Ukyo stammered. "Is that true?"

"Oh, Farore, what have I done?" Navi whispered. "Sorry... I'm so sorry... forgive me, Link!" She turned around and flew away, in the opposite direction of where they were heading.

"Navi! Hey, Navi!" Ukyo shouted. "Dangit, Link, turn this horse around..."

"It's okay," Tatl said calmly. "I guess she just needs a bit time to think." Ukyo was surprised to hear how mature her spunky friend sounded. "What, are you surprised that I can be reasonable as well? I've known Navi for a much longer time than either of you. I've noticed a long time that she had a crush on Link."

"But... but she's a fairy," Ukyo murmured.

"So what?" Tatl glared. "We have feelings too, you know? And I really don't blame her, Link's a pretty hunky boy... just not too bright!"

"Malon... and Navi... love me... like THAT?" Link finally blurted out. "But... but... we're not even adults yet... I mean..."

"Look at yourself!" Tatl grumbled. "That's not exactly the body of a kid, isn't it? Remember that SEVEN years have passed ever since you first touched the Master Sword. Seven years! Enough time for Malon to grow up. In case you haven't noticed: She turned out to be a damn fine woman, and I say that as a girl. So did Ruto, for that matter, and as for Navi and Saria, well... they always have been pretty mature for their age."

"Navi... Malon... Ruto... Saria... all of them?" Link stuttered. "But... but I'm just... I can't..."

And then, Link promptly fell off Epona's back, that's how baffled he was.

Ukyo sighed and jumped off as well. "Get a hold of yourself, lover-boy!" she frowned and pulled him back to his feet. "So a couple of girls likes you, so what? Count yourself lucky! I mean, you are a pretty handsome man and I..."

Link glared at her. "Ukyo! Don't tell me... you TOO?"

"What? NO!" she shouted. "You've been my best friend for years. You've been like a brother to me. I like you, but not like THAT. As for Malon... I really think there was a huge misunderstanding between the two of you."

"I guess you're right..." Link muttered and looked back where they had left LonLon Ranch. "I have to talk to her the next time we meet... but... Navi..."

"She'll get over it," Tatl said. "If there's one thing Navi will never be, it's resentful. She will be back in no time, trust me!"

"Yeah... we should try and concentrate on the task at hand," Ukyo said. "If we don't hurry, who knows what the demon will do to Kakariko..."

Link nodded. Sadly, he looked one last time into the direction Navi had vanished in, then he climbed back on Epona's back and they continued on their way.

* * *

They were just a tad bit too late.

After having left Ganondorf's Castle, Bongo Bongo had decided to let the frightened villagers squirm a little, so they would be even more nervous when he attacked. To kill some time, he had smashed a few (abandoned) houses in the ruined Hyrule Town and squashed a few ReDeads he came across. After a couple of hours, he was getting bored and decided that the villagers had waited long enough.

He arrived at Kakariko one hour before Ranma and Ukyo did.

When the two green-clad warriors arrived, they were shocked to find half of the village's houses set aflame. Villagers were forming chains to pass buckets of waters from the nearby river to the burning buildings. The few soldiers that were left to protect Kakariko were unconsciously lying around on the ground.

And a familiar figure wrapped in ribbons was standing in front of the old well.

Link and Ukyo jumped off Epona's back and ran up to the Sheikah. "Sheik!" Link shouted. "What happened?"

"Get back, Link!" Sheik told him. He sounded pretty agitated.

Link drew his blade and Ukyo took her battle spatula. A cold shiver ran down the young chef's spine. Something was out there...

Suddenly, Sheik's body got pulled up into the air by an invisible force!

"Eenie meenie minie moe, catch a Sheikah by the toe..." a deep voice chuckled.

"What? Who's there?" Link shouted. "Let go of him! Sheik!"

He slashed through the seemingly empty air in front of him. UKyo gasped. "Link, be careful!"

A deep rumbling was heard. "Fine, you can have the little appetizer... he's way too scrawny for my taste anyway!" With a sudden yank, Sheik was flung through the air and landed on the ground behind Ukyo.

"Sheik!" Ukyo said and knelt down next to him. "Are you all right?"

Link raised his shield. "I'm warning you, leave this village alone!"

"Oooooh, so you think you're a hero?" the dark voice grumbled. "I've seen more courageous warriors than you, boy... and more stupid ones as well!"

Suddenly, Link could see the dark shadow that was creeping along the floor. It moved back from him, crawled up the hills that surrounded the village, came back down again and approached Sheik and Ukyo from behind.

"Ukyo!" Link shouted and ran in front off them. He raised his shield and blade to welcome the monster, and then...

...everything around him became black.

* * *

When Link opened his eyes again, he saw how Sheik, Ukyo and Nabiki were looking down at him.

"Looks like he's coming around," Sheik commented.

Link sat up and rubbed his head. "Man... what happened?"

"You got beat up, that happened!" Ukyo frowned. "Link, you dummy... do you always have to put yourself in danger to protect your friends? I can take care of myself, you know?"

"I doubt that would be enough for this opponent..." Nabiki grumbled. Then she turned her head around and shouted: "Yo, sis, bring some red potion, will ya?"

"Coming, Nabiki," the voice of Kasumi called.

"I almost had that thing, you know?" Link grumbled. "What was it, anyways?"

"The evil shadow beast that Impa had trapped underneath the well years ago..." Sheik explained. "But, unfortunately, it broke free, because of... certain circumstances."

"The circumstances he's talking about is normally wearing an armor that's heavier than Ryoga's skull, throws around useless words as well as his morning star, is one of the biggest jerks I know and is called Onox!" Nabiki grumbled.

"Where are Impa and Akane?" Ukyo asked.

"Akane is helping the other villagers with putting out the fires," Nabiki said and gestured over her shoulder. "I believe they already have it under control. As for Mom, she, well..."

"She went to the Shadow Temple to stop the creature," Sheik said. "She wants to seal it up again."

"All by herself?" Link wondered. "Isn't that a bit, I don't know, dangerous?"

"That's what I told her, but she didn't want to listen," Nabiki growled. "Akane and I wanted to help her, but she said we weren't ready for such a battle yet... she wanted us to stay behind and guard the village."

"Why has the demon left the village in the first place?" Tatl wondered.

"That's because Bongo Bongo is one huge egomaniac, and when Mom challenged him to meet her in the Shadow Temple, he just couldn't say no," Nabiki grimaced. "It was a good plan to save the village, I admit, but now who's going to save her?"

Sheik looked to where they all knew the graveyard to be. "You know... Impa is one of the six Sages."

"Say what?" Link gasped.

"You're kidding, right?" Nabiki blurted out. "Mom, a Sage? I mean, she's pretty experienced and sure knows her stuff, but, a Sage... that sounds just like you'd say Ryoga is a Sage."

Ukyo coughed. "Um, well, yeah, about that..."

"I'll go and save her," Link said.

Ukyo stared at him. "I knew it!" she groaned. "I knew you'd say that! Every time someone's in trouble, Link leaps to the rescue! Who are you, Superman?"

"What's so wrong about wanting to help your friends?" Link asked her. "And who in Din's name is Superman?"

Ukyo scratched her head. "I... I dunno... it just crossed my mind..."

Just then, Kasumi and Akane arrived. "Here you go, Link, drink this red potion and you'll feel much better," Kasumi said.

Link smiled at her. "Thanks, Kasumi!" And then he greedily drank the potion.

"You can keep the bottle," Kasumi smiled back.

"The fire is under control," Akane said. "The people are still a bit nervous, but now that Mom lured the demon away, I don't think they are in danger anymore..." She sighed. "All right then, I'm off to help Mom. Anyone wants to come along?"

Ukyo frowned at Link. "Mr. Superhero over there already volunteered," she grumbled. "And since I'm his sidekick, I guess I have no choice but to come along as well..."

Akane grinned. "Hey, that's great! I know you're busy with your search for the Sages and all, but..."

"Actually, Sheik just told us that Mom IS one of the Sages," Nabiki told her younger sister.

Akane blinked. "Say what?"

Kasumi smiled. "Oh, that's nice! I hope mother will get along with the other Sages, though..."

The youngest of the Sheikah sisters shook her head. "You know what? I don't think anything will surprise me anymore. Still, I'm going. Sage or not, she can't beat that thing all by herself."

Kasumi frowned. "But mother clearly told us to stay in the village, Akane-chan," she scolded.

"So? I'm still going! And since Link and Ukyo already volunteered, that makes three. Nabiki, what about you?"

"Sorry, but I have to pass this one, sis," Nabiki said. "This village needs at least ONE capable fighter to protect it. What if Onox decides to pay us another visit while we are all busy hunting Bongo Bongo?"

"I guess you're right," Akane nodded. "Well then, Ukyo, Link... shall we go?"

Link uncertainly looked back at the village's entrance. "And what about Navi?"

"What about her?" Akane asked. "Hey, where is she, anyways?"

"I told you she'll be fine," Tatl said. "She knows where we wanted to go, so she'll be here in no time. So let's go already!"

"Yes, but... this is the first time I entered a dungeon without Navi..." Link muttered. "It's just not the same without her, you know...?"

"Just imagine I'm Navi, okay?" Tatl groaned. "I can paint myself blue, if you like. I can even imitate her voice: 'Hey! Listen! Look! Watch out!' Is that enough?"

Ukyo chuckled. "You are horrible at that, you know?"

"Nobody asked for your opinion!" Tatl grumbled.

A faint smirk appeared on Link's face. "Well, at least I still have you guys. Okay, I think I'm ready."

"There is an entrance to the Shadow Temple beneath the graveyard," Sheik said. "The only thing I can do for you is to teach you the melody that will lead you to the temple..."

"Do we really need that?" Akane sighed. "I can reach the temple without any music."

"Not everyone can jump up walls like a Sheikah, Akane," Nabiki reminded her sister.

Sheik raised her harp. "This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time. Listen to this, the Nocturne of Shadow!"

Link took the Ocarina of Time, and once again, followed after SheikÄs tune.

When Sheik lowered his harp, she said: "You know... you won't be able to defeat Bongo Bongo as you are."

"Say what?" Ukyo gasped. "Now he's telling us..."

"But... what about Mom?" Akane asked.

"Your mother was able to defeat the demon because of a certain artifact she had in her possession back when they fought for the first time. You will have to retrieve it before you go and confront the beast. It is called the Lens of Truth."

"Fine, and where do we find that?" Ukyo sighed.

Sheik gestured at the well. "Down there."

Akane rolled her eyes. "Hello? The tunnels in there have collapsed after Onox smashed things up, remember?"

"Yes... that's the reason why you have to travel through time to retrieve it..."

"Ah, if that is all... and just how exactly do we do that?" Akane sighed.

Sheik looked at Link. "When you drew the Master Sword, it sealed your body for seven years... if you now put the blade back into the Pedestal of Time, it will allow you to travel back in time, seven years, to be exact. And everyone that stand near you will be brought along... now, let me teach you another song, one that brings you back to the Temple of Time, in times when you're short of time and have to return there quickly. This song is called... the Prelude of Light."

"Enough with the songs already..." Tatl grumbled.

Link ignored her, raised his ocarina to his lips and played after Sheik.

"So, that means we have to travel back in time to retrieve the Lens of Truth, come back here, and go into the Shadow Temple, where we use them to defeat Bongo Bongo, right?" Ukyo asked. "Sounds like a stupid plan to me... but my opinion doesn't count, right? So let's get it over with already!"

"Wait a minute... do we even have the time for this?" Akane asked. "I mean, Mom could be fighting the demon right now."

"That's why I taught Link the Prelude of Light and the Nocturne of Shadows," Sheik said. "You can all quickly travel to the Temple of Time and back to the graveyard with them. And when you return from the past, no time will have passed here."

"Akane, if that is mother's only chance, you should do it," Kasumi said.

"Well, I'm willing to go," Link said. "Are you all ready?"

"Fine..." Ukyo sighed. "Even though I always get motion sickness from those teleports..."


	31. Kooloo Limpah!

"Stupid, stupid..." Navi muttered while flying across the plains. "Why did I say that? I know that he and I can't be together... he already has enough girls who like him... I would be betraying Saria... we're not even the species... we're not even the same SIZE..."

In the middle of all her babbling, she didn't even watch where she was going. Suddenly, she hit an obstacle she hadn't seen. It was soft and cushioned her impact, but it still stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Ow! What's this, I wonder?" a melodic voice asked. "Is it raining pebbles?"

Navi rubbed her nose. "Oh, I'm s-s-so sorry, sir... I was so in thought, I didn't know where I was going... huh?"

The man she had flown into wasn't very big... in fact, he wasn't really bigger than a child. And he also was glad in green, from the tip of his pointy hood to the legs of his tight pants. Only a small part around his hips was colored red. Navi would have mistaken him for a Kokiri, if it wasn't for his deep voice and the middle-aged, bearded face that looked at her from within the green hood.

And the look he was giving her was a look of astonishment. "Oh... can it be? A f-f-f... a f-f-f..."

Navi blinked. "A fairy?"

"A FAIRY!" the little man gasped. "After so many years of searching, a fairy finally found her way to Tingle... what a glorious day! What happiness!"

Navi sweatdropped at the weird antics of this man. "Um... excuse me, sir, but... who are you?"

"Me? I am Tingle!" the short man smiled. "And my biggest wish, as you are doubtlessly aware of - otherwise you wouldn't have come to me - is to become a fairy myself! Tell me! Tell me! When do we leave to your fairy kingdom?"

Navi didn't know if she was supposed to laugh or to run away in fear... but even in spite of his silly antics, this funny little man, with his ever-smiling mouth and his gentle eyes couldn't be dangerous.

"I'm sorry... but I'm someone else's fairy," Navi said.

"Oh dear, what are you saying?" Tingle gasped. "Is Tingles dream coming to an end? But no! I must not give up! Certainly, out there, there must be another fairy waiting for me... and it will bring me to my own Rosy Rupeeland, yes, yes..."

Navi chuckled. "You are a strange man... but I've seen worse."

"Tingle will see this as a compliment, miss!" he said and gave her a short bow. "But what must I see? Are those stains of tears on your pretty little face? Whatever could have made you cry, I wonder?"

"Aw, it's nothing..." Navi muttered. "I don't want to burden you with it..."

"Tell me, tell me, Tingle is a wonderful listener." The stout little guy crouched down next to her. "Tell me what ails you, and you will see, you will feel better afterwards!"

In the end, Navi relented. Maybe this funny little man was right and she would feel better afterwards. She sat down on a big stone and let her wings droop. "Well... there's this guy I like..."

"Aaaaah, a romantic story!" Tingle sighed. "I have a little weakness for such tales... Go on, go on!"

"Well, but... he knows next to nothing about love... and how girls feel... and then again, there already are plenty of girls who like him..."

"A real heartbreaker, I assume," Tingle said.

"Well, not because he tries to charm the girls, that's for sure," Navi sighed. "But... he is cute, and he has this innocent naivety around him... I guess that makes us girls drawn to him... But, unfortunately, one of these other girls is one of my best friends..."

"Ah, I can see how that is a problem," Tingle nodded.

"Yes, and see, he has all those responsibilities, and is destined to become a great hero... and I could never distract him from those duties. Besides, he and I aren't even compatible."

"Why would you say that?" Tingle asked in a surprised voice.

She winced. "Because he's a Hylian, and I'm, well, a fairy. How could I fall for him in the first place if we aren't even the same size? And today, I even blurted out my feelings to him, and I got so scared that I flew away..." She sniffed. "A great guardian fairy I am... abandoning my Kokiri... that is... Hylian... oh boy!" She held her head with a groan. "I'm so confused..."

"Poor little fairy," Tingle murmured. "But still, love isn't measured by body size or species... look at me! Would you believe my first love was a Gerudo?"

Navi had to chortle from that image. "A... a Gerudo?" she giggled.

"Yes, an unlikely match, I agree," Tingle nodded. "And at first, she never even wasted a single glance at me. Like any proud warrior, she wanted a strong man, someone who could best her in combat... I couldn't do that, of course, but I wasn't ready to give up. I gathered all my charm to win her over, I showered her with flowers and chocolate hearts... and even though she did not return my love, she admitted that she found my efforts cute. That was enough to warm my heart, and in the end, she agreed on one date... one single date, if I promised to leave her in piece afterwards."

"And you... agreed?" Navi wondered.

"Indeed I did," Tingle nodded. "Under the full moon, we took a romantic dinner at the banks of Lake Hylia... I picked only the most fresh roses to decorate our table... and I hired a violinist to play for us. We ate a Hylian Roach, seasoned with Gerudo Valley pepper, and garnished with a bouquet of parsley. And with it, we drank a dry red wine, Hylian late vintage... it was wonderful..."

Navi sighed. "I can imagine... and afterwards, what happened?"

"What she said," Tingle shrugged. "She told me it was a nice evening and she had a great time, but her tribe's laws would never allow her to accept a husband like me..." He sighed. "I will never forget her eyes of disappointment when we parted ways... I guess, in the end, I did make an impression... oh yes, love is the most powerful force in the world, little fairy... that's why you should never give up! Even though you know your love is doomed, stand by your feelings! Let him know about how you feel and keep in mind that he might not return the exact feelings..."

"If he doesn't love me... I don't want to lose him as a friend..."

"You don't have to! If he tells you that his heart belongs to another girl, then wish him best of luck! It will hurt, true, but in the end, you can tell yourself: I have done the right thing!"

"I don't know... if I'm strong enough to do that..." Navi muttered.

"Trust in the power of love, little fairy, and all will turn out good," Tingle smiled.

"Well, I can at least give it a try," Navi sighed. She fluttered back up into the air. "Thank you, Mr. Tingle, I really feel better now! I must leave now, or else my friends will miss me..."

"Before you leave, let me give you a present," Tingle said. "A sign of our everlasting friendship... Behold! My hands are empty, but not for long! And now... Tingle, Tingle... Kooloo-Limpah!!"

And with a dramatic gesture, he threw some confetti up into the air... and in his hands, a small scroll appeared.

He smiled. "These are the magic words Tingle created for himself. Don't steal them!" He winked and gave Navi the scroll. It was small enough for her to carry.

Navi took a look at it and her eyes widened. "Th-this... this is..." She stared at Tingle. "Where did you get this?"

"Incredible, isn't it?" Tingle smiled. "According to legend, this little map will show you the way to the Great Fairies of Hyrule! I don't know if I will ever have the time to see them myself... but you are young, quick and can fly. You can have it!"

"But... but... if becoming a fairy is your biggest dream, then... I can't accept this!"

"Take it, take it!" Tingle smiled. "Tingle is a good at making maps. I made a spare copy, you see? You can have the original, as a token of my friendship!"

"I... I... I don't know what to say... thank you!"

Tingle grinned. "It was my pleasure! Now, go to your friends, and always remember my words: Love... will find a way! Farewell, little fairy! Tingle will never forget you!"

"I won't forget you either, Mr. Tingle!" Navi said as she flew off. She turned around one last time and waved at him. "Goodbye!" Then she flew the way back she came.

'I've really been silly,' she scolded herself. 'If Link likes me or not, I know what my feelings are. And I will tell him about it, and then he can choose who he likes, no matter if it is me or Saria or Malon or Ruto or Ukyo... and no matter what, I will be able to live with it, just like Tingle did. I will be strong!

Now, if only they haven't left yet...'

* * *

When Cologne reached Gerudo Fortress, fewer guards than usually were around. But she knew this was because of the archery contest the warriors were holding once a week. This was a grand event which no Gerudo never missed, so she could return to the temple in peace, without being disturbed by anybody...

"There you are! Where in Hyrule have you been?"

Cologne nearly fell off her broom. She really must be nervous if she's getting scared like that.

"Oh, it's just you, child," she sighed in relief when she saw a middle-aged, but still good-looking Gerudo come out of the fortress. "Why aren't you taking part in the contest?"

"Don't you change the subject, grandmother!" the woman said reproachfully. "Elders Koume and Kotake have been looking for you. They were pretty upset when they couldn't find you either in the temple or here in the fortress."

"I've been an elder for more years than those two," Cologne said. "Don't you forget that, Kasuto! If they need me for anything, they can wait until I return."

"I shouldn't take them lightly if I were you," Kasuto frowned. "You should have seen how angry they've been."

"My business is my business, and not theirs," Cologne explained. "Do you imply I should be scared of them?"

"Not of them... but of Ganondorf," her granddaughter stated. "You know what he does with traitors, do you?"

"I know what he did to your sister, and I don't intend on letting the same happen to me. Really, you should know me better, girl!"

Kasuto sighed. "At least tell me the next time you just leave like that so I can come up with an excuse. For a while, I was afraid they would let their anger out at me..."

"Instead of lecturing me, you should lecture your daughter, Kasuto," Cologne pointed out. "If there's another Gerudo in danger of being marked as a traitor, it's her!"

"Shampoo? Is that the reason why you left the fortress? Did you meet her? How is she doing?"

"Sssshhhh, not so loud!" Cologne hissed. "Not here, we'll talk about it later. Meet me tonight, on the training course, when everyone's asleep."

"So you did meet her?" Kasuto said with surprise. "You know, for someone who pretends to be one of the king's closest followers, you certainly like to disobey his direct orders..."

"Watch your mouth now, girl!" Cologne grumbled. "At least I didn't risk my neck for a night with a worthless man who can't even fight!"

"That's a low blow, grandmother," the young Gerudo remarked. "Even you admitted that it was sweet how he adored me. It was just one night, you know?"

"And when do you plan on telling Shampoo about her father?" the elder asked with a raised eyebrow. "When she's being caught by Ganondorf?"

"In due time," Kasuto said and walked back inside. Cologne looked after her, then she remounted her broom and flew through the desert gate, towards the Spirit Temple.

* * *

Kasuto walked deeper into the fortress. Just like outside, only very few guards were making their rounds. Only one single warrior was guarding the only occupied cell.

Mousse looked up when he saw the mother of his beloved one enter the room. "You look upset," he noted.

"I've just wondered why so many people I know enjoy taking risks that could cost them their necks," Kasuto sighed. "Shampoo openly defies her king and joins up with the rebels. You, a man, sneak into the fortress and let yourself get caught. And now my grandmother leaves the desert without informing anyone and incurs Twinrova's wrath."

"Did... did she meet up with Shampoo?" Mousse asked hopefully. The nearly-blind carpenter's son stood up and looked through the bars of his cell. "Please, I've got to know... is she safe? Will she come back?"

"If she knows what's good for her, she'll stay away from Gerudo Valley for the rest of her life," Kasuto said. "I don't know if my grandmother met with her, she'll tell me tonight."

"I wish I could see her again..." Mousse sighed and slid down to the floor.

"Listen, I know you've got a massive crush on my daughter, but don't get your hopes up, Mousse. I mean, you're a good fighter and a carpentry master of hidden tools, but as far as I know, she found a boy among the rebels..."

A dark frown appeared on Mousse's face. 'So, this rebel is the reason why Shampoo is endangering herself,' he thought. 'As soon as I'm out of here, he will get to know my wrath...'

"Say, Mousse... I've been wondering... why have you never used your curse to escape this cell? Nobody except me and my grandmother knows about it, so why not just splash yourself with the water you get every meal and escape?"

Mousse winced. "Maybe because there are no glasses the size of a fairy... I'd be completely lost without them, you know that."

Kasuto frowned at the nearsighted boy... then she took a bottle of water from her pouch and sprayed the boy, whose clothes instantly engulfed his rapidly shrinking form.

A tiny, purple-haired, winged girl looked out of the clothes that were now much too big for her. "What was that for?" she angrily shouted.

"I'm just helping you to escape," Kasuto explained. She picked up the glasses lying next to Mousse's tiny form. She then took a small pouch from her belt and grinned. "Magic Dust... I snatched it from grandmother's belt." She sprinkled a bit of the glittering dust on the glasses, and they shrunk down to fairy size. "Here, take them and get out of here! And when you meet my daughter... tell her to never come back here again if she values her life."

Mousse took the shrunken glasses and put them on her cute face. "Am I supposed to fly naked?" she grumbled and hugged her naked form.

Kasuto groaned. "Here, take this!" she said and gave the transformed boy a small piece of cloth, which he wrapped around his body. "Now go already!"

Mousse beat her wings and hovered up into the air, while her body got surrounded by a purple glow. "Why are you helping me?" she asked.

Kasuto shrugged. "Well... maybe my daughter and grandmother aren't the only two crazy females in our family... I just don't know for how long they are letting you live, you know? And letting a nice boy like you die would really be a shame..." She smirked. "Now go, escape! Try to find my daughter..."

"Th-thank you..." Mousse stuttered and quickly flew out of the cell.

Kasuto sighed. "I hope I just did the right thing..."


	32. Back to childhood

"Wait up!" Kasumi called. "Akane, before you go, maybe you should go and visit Dr. Tofu."

Akane blinked. "Huh? What for, Kasumi? We need to hurry, Mom might be in danger."

"That's true, but I think you could use any help you can find. I think Dr. Tofu has something for you that might help you on your quest."

"Whatever could be so important that we have to dawdle like this?" Tatl sighed.

Kasumi smiled. "He has a bottle... a bottle full with Blue Potion."

Link thought about it. Adventurer's law Number One: An empty bottle is one of the most versatile and useful objects you can find. Law Number Two: Blue Potions are the best potions there are, no exceptions!

There was only one thing they could do.

"Where does this Dr. Tofu live?"

Kasumi pointed at the highest building in Kakariko. "Right there, in the windmill!"

Ukyo blinked. "He... lives in a windmill? I thought he's a doctor..."

"That's right," Kasumi nodded. "He's the village's doctor and a skilled musician, but he also takes care of the windmill."

"Well, as long as he has a bottle of Blue Potion, I don't mind where he lives," Link grinned.

Ukyo looked at him strangely. "Link, what's the matter with you? Chill out, it's just a bottle!"

"A bottle, Ukyo!" Link repeated. "The most important tool for the experienced adventurer! And it's filled with Blue Potion... we can't let this go to waste!"

"Okay, I admit, having some Blue Potion might be a great help in the battle against Bongo Bongo," Akane agreed. "But let's hurry up, okay?"

As they walked towards the windmill, Kasumi shouted after them: "Just tell Dr. Tofu I sent you, okay? He'll be happy to help you!"

Akane frowned. "I think it's best if we don't even bring up Kasumi's name..." she murmured.

"But why?" Link wondered.

Akane sighed. "That's a long story..."

Already outside of the windmill, they could hear the melodious sound of an organ.

Tatl blinked. "That's... a really nice melody."

"This man must be a really good musician," Ukyo nodded.

"True," Akane sighed. "But it's getting a bit repetitive if you hear it day and night..."

They entered and found themselves in a circular room, with a spinning, wooden platform. Via a long, wooden pole, the platform was connected to the windmill's blades. Next to the platform, a man with glasses was standing, turning around the handle of the big organ he was carrying.

"Aaaaah..." he sighed. "Such wonderful music..."

Akane cleared her throat. "Hello, Dr. Tofu!" she called.

The doctor looked at them, but never stopped playing on his organ. "Ah, Akane!" he smiled. "Are there still many people injured after the demon's attack? Please tell them that I will be with them in a minute..."

"Um, that's not the reason why we came," Akane said. "Say, is it true that you have some Blue Potion with you?"

"I think there must be some left in the bottle in the old chest over there," Tofu said. "What do you need it for?"

"We are trying to save Akane's mother from the demon," Link explained.

"Aaah, I see! A dangerous mission... you are bold to face such danger at your young age, but if you need it, feel free to take it... you also may keep the bottle if you like." The doctor smiled. "I know that an empty bottle is one of the most useful and versatile items an adventurer can possess."

Akane smiled. "Thank you very much, doctor!" She opened the chest and took out the bottle.

"Da-da-da-dunnn..." Tatl exclaimed. "You got a bottle with Blue Potion. Drink it to replenish both your health and your magic."

Link, Ukyo and Akane looked at the yellow fairy in confusion.

"Why... did you just say that?" Akane wondered.

Tatl shrugged. "I dunno... I just felt like it."

"Say, who told you that I have this bottle?" Dr. Tofu asked them. "I really just bought it this morning, from the old witch..."

"Well, Kasumi told us and..." Ukyo began.

"Ka-ka-kasumiii?" the doctor murmured. "Wh-where is she? Oooooh, she has such a beautiful voice... have you ever heard her singing this beautiful song? It goes like this..."

And he spun his organ even faster than before, faster and faster, with a crazy grin on his face.

Ukyo groaned. "Great, now I'll never get that song out of my head..."

Link grinned. "What's the matter, I think it's nice." And he took his ocarina out of his pocket and played the tune along.

Suddenly, Dr. Tofu stopped turning his organ. "That... that ocarina..." he murmured. "I have seen such an ocarina before... seven years ago, I believe... a little boy came into my windmill and played the exact same song... but then, everything went crazy..."

Suddenly, they could hear the roll of thunder outside. Through a window, they looked outside and realized that all of a sudden, dark clouds had appeared in the sky. And then it started raining.

"What the heck?" Ukyo shouted. "When we came inside, there was absolutely no cloud in the sky, so how...?"

Even more rain was pouring down, and strong winds began to blow. This also affected the windmill, and the wooden platform now spun even faster, nearly throwing off the three teenagers that were standing on it.

"Aaah, no, not again!" Dr. Tofu cried. "It's going too fast! Curse your infernal instrument..."

"My instrument?" Link shouted. "The way I see it, it was the song you played that caused this..."

"No way!" Tofu protested. "There is no way that a song my beloved Kasumi sang can have such disastrous effects. Oh, Kasuuumiiiii..." And he spun around his organ again, faster and faster...

Ukyo sweatdropped. "C'mon... I guess it's best if we leave..."

"Outside in the storm?" Tatl protested. "We'll get soaked!"

"I think it's much safer in the storm than in the presence of Dr. Tofu when he's affected by 'Kasumitis'," Akane muttered.

They left the doctor and closed the mill's door behind them.

"Still..." Link frowned. "I really wonder if it was the Ocarina of Time which caused this... or the song itself. I mean, he was playing it the whole time and..."

"I don't know," Akane shrugged. "Akane found the notes to this song in the old papers of two composer brothers that had once lived here in Kakariko... I think they are already dead. And after she sung this song to Dr. Tofu, his insane behavior whenever he thinks of her has even worsened..."

"You mean he's been like this for a long time by now?" Link wondered. "Now I wish I could play some Song of Healing or something like that for him..."

"Why don't you take that little ocarina of yours and play it, so we can teleport to the Temple of Time?" Ukyo asked. "We've wasted enough time already!"

Link frowned. "Acquiring a bottle - especially when it's filled with Blue Potion - is never a waste of time!" And he raised the ocarina to his lips, once again.

"Wait! Wait!" Through the rain, they saw a small, blue light that was flying towards them. "Wait up, you guys!"

"Hey, it's Navi!" Ukyo smiled. "Great to have you back, sugar!"

Navi landed on Link's head and used the tip of his cap to dry off her arms. "Ugh, where did this rain come from all of a sudden? I'm so wet, I feel like I'm back in the Water Temple..."

Tatl smirked at her. "Weeeellll?"

Navi blinked. "Well what?"

Tatl winked at her friend. "Did you come to terms with your feelings?"

The blue-haired fairy blushed. "W-well, yeah... I think so. Um, Link, about what I said earlier..."

"Don't worry about it, Navi," Link smiled. "It's okay... but I really think we should talk about this later, we have to save Akane's mom."

"What? Impa? Where is she?" Navi wondered.

Akane pointed in the direction of the graveyard. "In the Shadow Temple," she sighed.

"Oh... then what are we waiting for?"

"Well, we need to go to the Temple of Time first..." Link said.

Navi blinked. "Why do we need to go to the Temple of Time if Impa's in the Shadow Temple?"

Tatl sighed and put her arm around Navi's shoulders. "Listen, this is a long story, so I'm gonna tell you while we're on our way..."

And while Tatl began to tell Navi about why they had to go back to the past, Link played the Prelude of Light on his ocarina, and they all vanished afterwards.

* * *

"Wow, it's been such a long time since I've been here," Akane said as she and her friends entered the Temple of Time.

"You've been here before?" Link asked her.

The Sheikah girl nodded. "Yeah, way back when I was a little kid, even before we met each other... it was when she was teaching Princess Zelda about the Sacred Realm, and the Triforce. She figured it'd be best if I learned about this stuff as well..."

"Your mother also was a teacher?" Ukyo asked. She was feeling more and more respect for Impa. "Is there anything she can't do?"

"Well, yeah, she can't hope to beat Bongo Bongo without the Lens of Truth, that's why we need to hurry," Akane said.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot..." Ukyo muttered.

They walked past the altar and through the open gate, into the room where they found the Master Sword.

"This room I've never seen before," Akane explained. "After all, the gate has always been closed before..."

"Before we opened it and allowed Ganondorf to enter the Sacred Realm, you mean?" Link murmured.

"Oh, I... Link, I didn't mean it like that," Akane hastily said.

"It's okay," Link sighed. "I guess I just can't forget that I could have prevented all of this if I hadn't pulled out the Master Sword..."

"You don't know that," Navi said. "All we know is that Ganondorf was after the Spiritual Stones, so maybe he would have opened it anyways if he got them."

"Maybe, I guess..." Link muttered. "Oh well, I guess we should try this time traveling thing..."

They all walked up to the pedestal. Akane looked at it, a bit of worry on her face.

"So... I know you haven't done this before, but... what do you think will happen? It just brings us to the past like that?"

"You know, I haven't got the slightest clue," Ukyo said. "All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and wish for the best." She nodded towards Link. "Do it, Hero of Time!"

"All right, here goes nothing..." Link muttered, drew his blade, held it up into the air with both hands... and plunged it down into the Pedestal of Time.

A corona of green light began to shine from the pedestal and engulfed them all. Akane barely had the time to gasp, before everything around them turned into a bright, white light...

...and then, the light vanished. Link blinked. The first thing he noticed was that they were still in the Temple of Time, and that his hands were still grasping the hilt of the Master Sword, which was now again resting in the stone.

"My hands!" he gasped. "They look... smaller again!" He turned to look at his friends... and gasped yet again. The two teenaged girls had lost their curvy figures and were a lot more smaller... as he was. "G-guys! Y-you too...?"

"What the heck?" Akane yelled. "Why are we little kids again? I mean, look at me... I haven't looked like this ever since..."

"Ever since that day we parted ways..." Ukyo murmured. "That must be it, travelling seven years back through time also brings your body back to the state it has been in seven years ago." She patted her once again flat chest. "Wow, in a way, I am actually relieved... I mean, it's just been a few days to me since we looked like this..."

"Well, not for me!" Akane complained. "I have become a true Sheikah warrior over the past seven years, and now I'm just a kid again! No one's gonna take me serious..."

"I believe that only your body regressed, not your actual skill level," Navi spoke up. "What I'm rather worried about is: Will we meet a second you, now that we're in the past?"

"What did you do after we entered Hyrule?" Link asked the regressed Sheikah.

"Well, that's easy, since that was a day I will probably never forget..." Akane said. "I ran after my family and the princess, managed to catch up with them before Ganondorf did and we... well, we had to hide from Ganondorf and his creatures for quite a while. Nabiki suggested going to Kakariko, but Mom knew that was a place he'd try to find us in, so over the following weeks, we just travelled across the Hylian Plains and made sure to avoid his patrols. We also found a few hidden caves we could hide in."

"So, basically, that means your other self must be running around on the plains right now," Tatl assumed. "I have heard that time travellers are supposed to avoid their past or future selves, to avoid time paradoxes..."

"Since when are you a specialist of time travel?" Ukyo frowned. "Although your words do make some sense."

"I guess we can still use the ocarina to teleport us to Kakariko's graveyard," Link said.

"Right now?" Ukyo asked. "I mean, Sheik told us that if we return to the present, we would..."

"Future," Navi said.

Ukyo blinked. "Excuse me?"

"From our current point of view, the time we just came from is the FUTURE, you know?" the blue fairy said. "The present is always the point of time a certain individual is living through. So, from our current point of view, this is the present, and the time we came from is the future."

"Stop talking like this, it's making my head hurt!" Ukyo grimaced. "All right then, what I meant to say is: Sheik said that if we go back to the FUTURE, we would get back to the same point of time in which we put the Master Sword back into the stone. What I'm trying to tell you guys is: We have all the time we need. So why not take a look at Hyrule first? To see if we're really in the same time."

"Um, you DO know that Ganondorf just conquered Hyrule Castle and that it's going to be pretty dangerous out there," Akane pointed out. "Still, Hyrule has been a ruin for years... it would be nice to see it in one piece again."

"And maybe we can take a short break," Tatl groaned. "We've been travelling non-stop ever since we became unofficial heroes. The last breaks we took only lasted one night, at Goron City, and Malon's ranch..."

"Wait... does that mean Malon's a little girl again as well?" Link wondered.

"Well, obviously," Ukyo shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

Link grinned. "Great, that means she won't act all weird, should we run into her..."

"What's his problem?" Akane whispered into Ukyo's ear.

Ukyo sighed. "His 'problem' is that he seems to be quite popular among other girls..."

Akane blinked in confusion. "Um, shouldn't he be HAPPY about this?"


	33. Rest easy, Captain Mikado

Captain Mikado panted heavily as he pressed his body against the outer castle wall. He couldn't see any monsters around, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

And that coward, Tatewaki Kuno... he had decided to betray them. And his insanity now went as far that he called the defenders of the king monsters.

'He's out there, I know it...' the noble captain of the guard thought to himself. 'And if he doesn't get me, his monstrous henchmen will...'

He winced and pressed his hand against the bloody wound under his armor. He had managed to escape the wrath of the betrayer, but at what cost... he wouldn't be able to make it with this wound. And where should he go, anyways? The castle had been the last sanctuary of all Hylians. Kakariko? That village was barely finished and did not even have a standing militia. The Zoras or Gorons? He didn't trust these non-humans more than he trusted the Gerudo.

There was still one alternative... he could do the same his mother did when she escaped her pursuers, all those years ago...

He grimaced and shook his head. "No..." he muttered. "I promised father... I would never make the same stupid mistake as mother." She had talked about how some ancient tree spirit or something like that would save her, but she never came back... she must have fallen victim to the curse of the forest.

"Mikado!" Mikado pulled his head back. That was the voice of the traitor...

Kuno was standing high above him, on top of the gate leading to the castle's moat. Fortunately, he didn't even think of looking down. In his hand, he was holding a bloody sword.

"I just found the body of the king! You traitor! You allied yourself with the evil Zora and my demented father, so he could kill him! Don't you try and run away from me... I know you're out there, scum! I will find you one day, and I will kill you!"

Mikado held his breath. The king... dead? The question was, did Kuno kill the man he had sworn to protect by himself and just didn't realize it in his insanity, or was it one of the monsters he commanded?

Either way... Mikado couldn't stay around. As far as he knew, he was the last living soldier loyal to the house of Hyrule.

"Princess Zelda..." he whispered to himself. "I won't let you down... wherever you escaped to... I will make sure the hero you sent on a mission will know where to bring the Sacred Stones..."

He waited until Kuno went back to the castle, then he slowly made his way down to town.

He never noticed the dark shadow that was creeping after him...

* * *

"I asked around town," Ukyo said as she came back to her friends. They were standing in front of Hyrule's potion shop. "They say that the monsters and Gerudos came through town, but never attacked. I think we'll be safe here, as long as we don't go to the castle."

"And Sheik said we have all the time we need," Link pointed out. "So why don't we just take a break, stock up on supplies and prepare for what's lying ahead of us?"

Akane sighed. "I don't like this..." she murmured. "Back in our time, Mom is fighting the shadow demon... and I have the feeling like every minute we waste will be a minute off her life."

"You have to relax," Navi said. "Time travel can be a bit weird, I've heard. Besides, you look pretty rested, but what about us?"

"Yeah, we haven't had a real break from all the monster fighting in a long time," Tatl nodded. "And since we're back in a Hyrule that is not destroyed by Ganondorf, why not make use of the situation?"

"I guess you're right..." Akane sighed. "Maybe that's what I need... something to keep me occupied. Something that helps me to distract my mind from what's happening to Mom..."

She looked around the market place. The Shooting Gallery... that looked like a good place to relax.

"I think I'm gonna try my luck," she said. "Do you think they will let a young kid like me use a bow?"

"Well, they will probably give you a slingshot instead," Link assumed.

Akane sighed. 'Great... having a kid's body means using kid's weapons... oh well, at least I still have my experience from fighting as an adult...'

"Go ahead," Link smiled when he saw how disoriented Akane was. "Go and have fun, we'll meet you here in half an hour."

"I guess that's okay," Akane nodded. "And what will you do?"

"Well, we still need to buy some equipment," Navi said. "Link hasn't used his own slingshot ever since he became an adult, so..."

"That's right, I need to buy some ammunition," the young boy nodded. "All I have are arrows... and maybe I should fill one or two of my bottles with potion."

"Just make sure not to spend all our rupees at once," Ukyo said.

Link grinned. "Well, then we can always go and cut some grass. I'm sure the Minish have hidden some rupees for us..."

"Start with your Minish again and I'm gonna kick you..." Ukyo grumbled. "See ya later, Akane..."

And while the two forest kids and their fairies entered the next shop, Akane approached the Shooting Gallery...

"Main prize: One piece of heart," she murmured. "Huh... I wonder what kind of trinket that's supposed to be..."

* * *

When Akane left the Shooting Gallery, she had won her own, personal slingshot, a big bag of ammunition as well as the main prize, a piece of heart.

"I still don't know what's so special about this weird, heart-shaped stone..." she muttered. "Oh well, maybe Link likes silly stuff like this..."

She still had some time left before she was supposed to meet with Link, Ukyo and the fairies, so she just strolled along the streets, enjoying a moment of peace and calm.

When she walked down a back street, she heard a groaning voice. She hesitated. She had to be careful, even though that didn't sound like the voice of a monster. It sounded like somebody was injured...

"Please..." Now she could see a squatting figure in a dark corner of the alley. "Help me..."

"Captain Mikado?" Akane gasped. She had never imagined she would meet someone she knew. She hadn't seen him since... well, since the day the castle was under attack. Her mother and everyone else had assumed he was dead.

Maybe now she had the chance to save him...

The wounded soldier groaned. Blood was trickling out of his armor. When he looked up at her, his eyes widened. "You... you're one of Impa's daughters, aren't you? Why... haven't you fled with your mother? Where... where is Princess Zelda...?"

"Now just relax," Akane said as she crouched down next to him. "You're badly wounded... what happened?"

"K-kuno..." Mikado coughed. "He betrayed us... the king... dead..."

'Of course...' Akane sighed. 'All of this has happened before, but it's still sad to see it replayed...'

"The princess is safe," Akane told him. "My mother is making sure of that... we got separated..."

She hesitated. How was she gonna explain to him why she wasn't going after them, why she was loitering around in a back alley of Hyrule Town?

"The... the messenger of the princess..." Mikado stuttered. "Where is he? Zelda... before we were attacked, she told me of a young boy she appointed to bring her the Sacred Stones..."

'I guess he's talking of Link and Ukyo,' Akane thought. 'I have to remember that in his eyes, it was barely two days ago when we left the castle for our mission to retrieve the stones...'

"I know him," she said. "Everything is all right, he has retrieved the stones."

Mikado sighed in relief. "At least that's being taken care of..." he murmured. "Ganondorf can't enter the Sacred Realm without the stones... if you see the boy, tell him to bring them... to the Temple of Time..." He winced. "Aaahh... my wound must be deeper than I thought..."

"Just relax," Akane told him. "Stay here... I'm going to get some help..."

Mikado held her back. "Stay..." he said. "Nobody can save me now... just make sure the boy gets my message. And please... could you do me a favor?"

"Of course!" Akane said. "What is it?"

He coughed. "Could you... stay with me during my final moments? I don't want to die all alone... the only loyal soldier to the throne..."

"I understand," Akane nodded. She sat down next to him. "But shouldn't I at least buy you some Red Potion? The market is not far from here..."

"The wound is too deep..." Mikado grimaced. "A potion... would not be enough. Kuno... I think his sword was cursed..." He gasped when some more blood trickled down his side.

Akane ripped a piece of cloth from the sleeve of her shrunken Sheikah outfit. "Here, use this to stop the flow of blood," she said.

Gratefully, Mikado accepted the cloth and pressed it on his wound. While he was moving, something fell out of his pocket.

Akane picked it up. It was a small, drawn picture. It was very lifelike and showed the face of a beautiful woman...

"Who is she?" she wondered as she gave the picture back to its rightful owner.

"My... my mother..." Mikado explained. "My father drew this picture of her when she was young... it's the last memory I have from her." He sighed. "She died when I was a kid... during the Hyrulean Civil War..."

Akane was surprised. "My mother never told me much about this war... what happened?"

"My father was a soldier in the army, just like me," Mikado said. "He and the rest of the king's men fought against a group of dark interlopers who wanted to seize the power resting in the Sacred Realm..."

'I never knew humans had tried to acquire the Triforce for themselves before,' Akane thought.

"During the battle... my mother had to escape," Mikado murmured. His eyes teared up when he recalled the story his father had told him numerous times. "My father wanted her to be safe, but he couldn't come up with a place where she could hide... so she told him a story about an ancient tree spirit who is supposed to reside in the forest. She... she said that she would be safe there, and so she left for the woods..."

Mikado closed his eyes. "She never came back..." he whispered and clutched the picture of his mother to his chest.

'I wonder if she was talking about the Deku Tree,' Akane thought. 'I know nothing about him, but Ukyo and Link told me quite a few things about the Kokiri's guardian tree...'

Mikado put the picture back into his pocket. His face was becoming even paler, and sweat was running down his face.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get you some potion?" Akane asked in a worried tone of voice. She still was hoping that there was a way to change the past...

"Don't... worry about me," the captain grunted. "I did my duty to the very end... I have no regrets. I thank you for listening to my story... but now, you should leave, before they find you..."

Akane stood up, but she still was reluctant to go. "I.. I can't just leave you here..." she murmured.

She didn't see the dark shape that had crept along the walls. It wasn't much more than a shadow, but now it was taking form.

The dark double of Ganondorf smirked. 'My master was wise to send me after that fool... while he's still the last remaining soldier who's loyal to the fallen king, he will soon become my master's most devoted follower...'

With a small wave of his hand, Phantom Ganon changed his shape... until he didn't look like his master anymore.

Instead, he looked like a young boy, wearing a green tunic.

He grinned. "Time to turn the hero of Hyrule... into a killer!"


	34. The nearsighted fairy

Seven years later, in the vicinity of Gerudo Valley...

"Just great..." the Zora groaned as she wrung out her Hylian clothes. "Just before we enter Gerudo Valley, it had to rain!"

"Be thankful for rain, Airen," Shampoo told her fiance. "In hot desert, there will no be any rain. It is rare gift for desert dwellers like Gerudo."

"That's just it," Ranko sighed as she pulled out a thermos flask. "The more of this hot water we waste, the less water we have left when we're wandering the desert. And I can't possibly go to that hot, dry pile of sand when in my Zora form. You remember what happened to me at the volcano, right?"

Shampoo suddenly realized how dangerous this trip was going to be for Ranma. Jusenkyo turned its victims into water magnets, and if Ranma was splashed by only a bottle full of water, he would turn into a Zora... which could have fatal consequences.

"Airen... maybe you better stay behind..."

"Don't start that now, Shampoo!" Ranko said. "I've decided to do this, and you know there's nothing more stubborn than a Saotome who's made up his mind. I know it's gonna be dangerous, but... I can't let you go there by yourself! I just can't! It's too dangerous!"

Shampoo sighed. "Shampoo know, but... is bad enough that Shampoo risks her life, yes? Airen should not risk his own, too..."

Ranko grabbed her fiancee's shoulders. "Shampoo? It's either both of us or neither of us! You go there, I'm going with you! The only way you can make me stay out of the desert is by deciding you don't want to go. You made up your mind to save the old gh... your great-grandmother, so we go. Easy as that!"

Shampoo realized once more how fortunate she was to have such a loyal and courageous man on her side. She smiled. "Okay, Airen... we do this, together!"

Ranko nodded and just wanted to pour the hot water from the thermos flask over her head, when something small collided with her chest.

"Oooof..." a high-pitched voice mumbled from inside the depths of Ranko's bountiful breast valley. "I still have to train landing..."

Ranko blinked. "What's that?"

"Is small fairy-girl?" Shampoo wondered. "Is not fairy from fairy-boy or spatula girl... but there no live fairies in desert. Is too too hot!"

"That voice..." the fairy muttered. "Shampoo? Is that you, my beloved one?" And the winged girl seemed to embrace Ranko's breasts even more. "Oh, what a joy, to meet you here! I thought I'd never see you again."

Ranko had never dealt with a fairy before that was groping her chest, or that was confusing her with Shampoo.

"Um... that's Shampoo, over there!"

The fairy looked up and blinked. She then lowered the glasses she had been wearing on her forehead and looked through them. Ranko thought it was pretty strange that a fairy was wearing glasses...

"You are not Shampoo... you're a Zora!" she realized. "But I've clearly heard her lovely voice... where is my beloved Shampoo?"

Shampoo groaned. "Shampoo now know who fairy is... Mousse, you were stupid enough to get curse of drowned fairy?"

The fairy turned around. "Shampoo!" she shouted happily. "I've found you!"

"Is... that a friend of yours?" Ranko wondered.

"Is Mousse..." Shampoo grumbled. "Stupid, nearsighted carpenter boy. He half Gerudo, but not really member of tribe... but last time Shampoo met him, he no have Jusenkyo curse."

"It is true, I was unfortunate enough to acquire this curse while I was searching for you, my darling," Mousse sighed. "I think I was so blinded by my love that I didn't see the springs when I stumbled down that hill..."

"You always were nearsighted," Shampoo shouted. "Wear your glasses next time... and Shampoo not your 'darling'!"

"So, you've got a fairy curse, eh?" Ranko asked. "Could have been worse... I mean, at least you can fly, right?"

"Be quiet!" Mousse grumbled. "You don't know the horrors of this curse... too many people tried to put me into a bottle... oh yes, only those that are Jusenkyo-cursed themselves know the true grief..."

"But I am cursed," Ranko said. "See?" And she poured the hot water over her head and turned back to Ranma. He grinned, then offered the thermos flask to the small fairy. "You need some as well?"

"Who... are you?" Mousse wondered.

"The name's Ranma Saotome... ya want this water, or not?"

"Huh? Oh yes, gimme gimme gimme..." Mousse pleaded. The sooner he could leave this weak, little body behind, the better...

Ranma poured a small bit of hot water onto Mousse's head (which completely soaked the small fairy and the makeshift dress she was wearing.

And when Mousse turned back to normal, he remembered that he didn't have any clothes, except for his glasses, which had grown to fit his nose, thanks to the magical dust.

"Here, I've got some spare ones," Ranma said and threw the nearsighted boy some of his clothes.

Mousse quickly put them on. "You are a decent guy... did Shampoo hire you as a bodyguard?"

"Shampoo no need bodyguard!" the proud Gerudo shouted. "She is strong warrior herself!"

"Ah, okay... then as an errand boy?"

Ranma frowned. "Hey, she's my fiancee!"

The young carpenter blinked. "F... fiancee...?"

"That right, Ranma is Shampoo's Airen!" Shampoo grinned and glomped onto Ranma's right arm.

"Wh-wh-whaaaat?" Mousse gasped. "That can't be... you are..." He then angrily glared at Ranma. "I see now, you're that rebel boy who seduced my beloved Shampoo! It was you who put her into all this danger, who made her an outcast..."

"What? What the hell are you talking about, man?" Ranma asked.

"Those were Shampoo's decisions," she shouted. "Shampoo met Ranma after running away as a young child. Came back to him after finding out that Ganondorf is tyrant... Ranma never put me in any danger. He always protects me!"

"Shampoo, how could you have listened to his lies?" Mousse ranted. "He obviously talked you into believing that. He used your silly little childhood crush to confuse you..."

"Is no 'silly little childhood crush'!" Shampoo insisted. "Is true love! Ranma is only man for Shampoo! Is strong, loyal, brave, handsome, a good martial artist and a princess on top of that!"

Ranma sweatdropped. "Shampoo, you could have left that last part out..." he muttered. Being a princess didn't really help to make him sound like an ideal man...

"A... princess?" Mousse grumbled. "So... does that mean you're a crossdresser on top of everything? Then I guess having a female Zora body must be like a true blessing to you."

Now Ranma was getting angry. "To your information, it does!" he shouted. "Having become a Zora girl turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to me... right after having met Shampoo!"

"I knew it..." Mousse said. "You disgust me, Saotome! I bet you're spending all day in front of the mirror, looking at your female body, thinking how pretty you are, right?"

"Shut up! I'm not doing any of that stuff!" Ranma growled. "I'm the best martial artist there is!"

"I'm not buying it, Saotome. Didn't Shampoo just say you're a princess?"

"You be quiet now, Mousse! Ranma makes good Zora princess. She once wore royal dress for ceremony, and she looks much better in dress than you!"

"YER NOT HELPING, SHAMPOO!" Ranma yelled. She had to bring up that horrible day, shortly after his 18th birthday... his mother had insisted Ranko would attend that ceremony, a festival that was held for every noble Zora that comes of age. And she had her wear that stupid dress...

"At least I'm not embracing my female side like you do!" Mousse said. "I'm proud to be a man!"

"So, are you?" Ranma grumbled. "Are you sure you haven't joined the other fairies during their annual spring dance festival? Lemme guess, you were crowned the beauty queen of the fairies, right?"

"That's it, Saotome!" Mousse roared. "DIE!!" And he reached for his hidden weapons.

Only to find out that his current outfit didn't have any wide sleeves to hide weapons in. He also remembered that all of his tools had been taken away when he was caught by the Gerudos.

"Oh yes," he grinned sheepishly. "My weapons are all back in Gerudo Fortress..."

"What a way to back out of a battle..." Ranma grumbled.

"You were in fortress?" Shampoo gasped. "You saw mother? Or great-grandmother? Or Auntie..."

It didn't happen too often that Shampoo was so eager to talk to him, so it was no surprise that Mousse was a bit befuddled when she stormed at him with all of her questions.

"W-well, I didn't see any trace of your aunt... but I've met the old bat. She's a grumpy as ever..."

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, sounds just like Cologne."

"I also talked to your mother, Shampoo," Mousse explained. "She also wanted me to tell you one thing..."

"What? What did mother want?" Shampoo asked.

Mousse looked at her sadly. "She said that you should never come back to the fortress if you value your life. I'm sorry, Shampoo..."

"Why... why would she say that?" Shampoo sobbed.

"She obviously wants to protect you, Shampoo," Ranma said. "I've never really met yet Mom, but you told me quite a few things about her... and if she really loves you as much as I've always felt, I'm not surprised that she doesn't want you to come back."

"And she's right," Mousse insisted. "Going back now would be too dangerous... I mean, it's obvious that it's all Ranma's fault, but try to explain that to Elders Koume and Kotake! In their eyes, you're a traitor, and there is nothing that can be done to change their mind. And even if your great-grandmother would support you, there's always Ganondorf... and we all know what he does to traitors." Mousse made a short gesture with his thumb across his throat.

"Shampoo no care!" the purple-haired Gerudo shouted. "Shampoo will go and save great-grandmother from evil twin witches! Ganondorf no is here, he in his castle in Hyrule, he no can do anything to stop Shampoo and Ranma!"

"What can he do against Ganondorf's monsters?" Mousse grumbled. "I've seen the beasts that are guarding the Spirit Temple... also the magic of the Twinrova Elders is way too powerful. No martial artist could ever hope to win against them!"

"That's not true!" Ranma proclaimed. "There has to be a way. I will protect Shampoo from harm, no matter what happens!"

"And Shampoo will protect her Airen," she added, smiling at her pig-tailed boyfriend adoringly.

"I say it again, you meddled with her mind," Mousse grumbled. "You two are crazy when you believe that you can just go in there... and besides, Elder Cologne doesn't want to leave. I've talked to her... she's completely loyal to Ganondorf and his cause!"

"Shampoo no believe that," Shampoo said. "Shampoo knows there is good left in great-grandmother... and she will make her see the truth."

"And who knows," Ranma grinned. "Maybe you need to be a bit crazy to do just that."

"Tingle tingle, kooloo-limpah, tingle tingle, kooloo-limpah..."

Ranma, Mousse and Shampoo looked up when they heard how someone sung this strange song.

Above them, a small man, eccentrically clad in forest-green clothes, floated over their heads, carried by a big, red balloon.

"Ah, yes, the blowing winds..." Tingle muttered. "They are carrying me wherever they want... back into good, old Gerudo Valley, I see. Oh my, that is always an interesting place to visit. People say you would have to be crazy to go there... but, hey, who isn't? And who knows, maybe I'm going to meet some more fairies there. Tingle tingle, kooloo-limpah..."

The red balloon disappeared behind a rocky cliff.

Ranma blinked several times.

"Did you all... see that just now?" he then blurted out.


	35. Mikado and Kodachi

"Why do you insist on going here?" Link whispered. "Ganondorf still has to be in the castle."

Ukyo looked around the corner, down the path and saw the guard standing in front of the gate. "We just have to make sure we're not caught," she whispered back. "I know there's something hidden nearby, I just know it... or would you like to try and find out if the same thing still is near Ganon's Castle in the future?"

"That would be even more dangerous..." Link grumbled. "But why here?"

Ukyo grinned and pulled out a piece of parchment. "See this map? Navi showed it to me earlier. It's supposed to show places where fairies are hidden."

Link looked at his fairy. "And you haven't shown this to me because...?"

Navi blushed. "S-sorry, Link..."

"Either way, the last time I met a Great Fairy, she taught me a magical attack," Ukyo explained. "So I'm betting that if we meet this fairy, she will have something for us as well."

"Well, Great Fairies always like adventurers that are fighting to help Hyrule," Tatl said.

"See?" Ukyo smirked. "And as I said, visiting that fairy in the past will be much less dangerous than approaching Ganon's Castle in the future."

"I still say this is madness..." Link grumbled.

"Madness?" Ukyo giggled. "This. Is. HYRULE!"

Link and the fairies exchanged a confused glare.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Link wondered.

* * *

Captain Mikado grunted when he saw how the Sheikah girl left. "Mikado, you old fool..." he muttered to himself. "Why do you always have to play hero? You could have easily asked that girl to bring you some potion..."

But he knew it was too dangerous. The safety of the kingdom was more important than his life. And if Princess Zelda told those children to fulfil their mission, they would have to do so. After all, who would miss him...?

When he heard a noise, he looked around. "Hello?" No answer. "Sheikah girl? Is that you?"

He blinked in surprise when the figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a little boy... clad in green. And he was holding a sword in his hand.

"You are... Princess Zelda's messenger... aren't you?" he muttered weakly. "Link... that was your name, right? Your, your friend, she was just here and... hey, wh-what are you doing?"

The blonde boy looked at the wounded soldier with a malicious grin as he raised his sword.

* * *

Akane got startled when she heard the horrible scream coming from behind her.

"That was... Captain Mikado!" she gasped, and ran back.

She arrived just in time to see how Mikado's killer pulled his sword out of his body. A dark, pulsating energy was running along the blade.

"L-link..." Akane stuttered. That couldn't be... Link would never do anything like that...

Link's evil double grinned at her while blood ran down his blade. "You are too late, little girl!" he cackled. "This... will please my master!"

And he rammed his sword down into the ground. Akane didn't really know why, but then she saw how the dark energy ran down the blade... and seeped into the shadow of the dead soldier lying in front of her.

And while that happened, the little boy changed his shape, growing into another form.

Akane gasped. "G-ganondorf..."

The tall, armored man grinned as he pulled his dark blade out of the ground. "Not quite..." Phantom-Ganon chuckled. "But my master will be glad to hear that my mission is complete."

And then, he turned into a dark shadow and vanished in the ground.

Akane shuddered. She didn't understand what had just happened, except that this... monster had killed the captain. But what did he do to his shadow...

Akane knelt down next to Mikado. A grimace of disbelief was on his face. She looked at the shadow his body was casting, as the sun slowly crept over the rooftops. It was still glowing and pulsating with dark energy.

And then, she heard another horrible scream... and that shadow, too, vanished into the ground.

Akane gasped. What kind of evil magic could steal the shadow of a dead man? And that scream... she had heard the exact same scream just minutes ago. It was the voice of Captain Mikado...

But the yell hadn't come from his mouth... it had come from his shadow.

She yelped when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around... and saw Link standing in front of her.

"Akane, what happened?" the boy gasped. "What was that scream? And who is that lying over there? Is he dead?"

"Link... are you... are you really you?" Akane asked. She didn't want to fall victim to another evil ploy.

Link raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh? Of course it's me, who else?

"Akane, are you all right?" Navi asked as she fluttered next to her friend.

Seeing the blue fairy, Akane sighed in relief. This had to be the real Link, the evil double didn't have a fairy with him.

"But... I've just seen... Ganondorf was here, and he... gods, I'm so confused..."

A grim expression appeared on Link's face. "Ganondorf?" he asked and drew his sword. He looked around. "Where is that creep? Did he follow us from the castle?"

"No, he was... wait a minute... what in the name of Nayru did you do in the castle?" Akane wondered.

"Well, not really in the castle..." Link said sheepishly. "It was Ukyo's idea, see? She wanted to meet that fairy... and I admit it, she gave us that magic spell as a present... but I still think we should have stayed in town."

"Where is Ukyo, anyways?" Akane asked.

"She's buying some Deku Nuts, and Tatl is with her," Link said. "But what about Ganondorf? What did he do?"

"Captain Mikado..." Akane whispered. "He... he killed him..."

"Damn that jerk!" Link grumbled. "I wish I could teach him the lesson, but I guess I should wait with that until we are back in the future and have saved your Mom..."

"But... but the strangest thing was, he... he did something to the captain's shadow," Akane said. "And it vanished into the ground."

"Vanished? A shadow doesn't just vanish, Akane," Navi pointed out.

Akane gestured at the corpse lying next to them. "See his body? Do you see any shadow? I'm telling you, it's gone!"

Link looked at Mikado's lifeless body. "She's right," he mumbled. "No shadow... but why? What for? Huh?" He saw something sticking out of Mikado's belt pouch. "What's this?"

"Link, don't steal from the dead," Akane hissed.

"Yeah, but just let me take a look..." Link pulled something out of Mikado's pouch, then he reached into his own bag and took something else.

Akane looked over his shoulder and saw that Link was holding two drawn pictures in his hands... both of them showing the same image of a woman.

"They are identical," she realized.

"No way..." Link whispered. He looked back at Mikado. Then he thought of the vanishing shadow and the picture he had found in the Water Temple. It was the same as the picture Mikado had in his pouch, so...

"Dark Link..." he murmured.

* * *

Seven years later...

In the same dark alley in which seven years ago a brave soldier had lost his life, a female sorceress in dark robes walked past the ruined buildings.

She then saw a black shadow kneeling on the ground. It was a monster with black skin and red eyes.

"Captain Mikado?" Veran asked in a voice that was much softer as anyone was used to hear from her.

Dark Link turned around his head. He groaned when he saw the Sorceress of Shadows. "Princess Kodachi..."

Veran was surprised. "So, you knew it was me?"

"All the time..." Dark Link whispered. He looked down, at the ground and let his hand sweep across the dirty ground. "This... this is the place where I died..."

Veran came closer. "Why do you look like this?"

Dark Link snarled. "Because the devil who killed me looks like this," he spat.

"I always thought Dark Link was an evil demon that just took on the shape of the Hero of Time..." Veran said. "A demon summoned by Ganondorf..."

"That's what everyone believes..." Dark Link muttered. "No one knows that I am just a dark spirit... a soul that only wishes to find peace. But how can I, knowing that green-clothed devil is still at large?" He pounded the ground with his fist. "I wasn't even able to beat him in combat... the only reason why his final blow didn't kill me was... that I was already dead." He looked down at his hands. "How can you kill... a ghost?"

"Captain Mikado..." Veran said hesitantly.

"Don't call me that," the former captain growled. "I am not that man anymore..."

"Well then, Dark Link... if you know what Ganondorf and General Onox... I mean, Tatewaki Kuno have done... why are you still working with them?"

"I can't change the past..." Dark Link whispered. "But I can still make the man pay who did this to me..."

He then looked up at Veran. "What about you, Sorceress of Shadows? Do you still remember your past life as Princess Kodachi?"

"It's... beginning to come back to me, piece by piece," Veran admitted. "I remember... how those ghostly girls put that spell on me..." She snarled. "Asuka was among them..."

"Asuka Saginomiya, heh?" Dark Link snorted. "Could never stand that bitch... always so concerned about her money, always sending me presents..."

Veran was taken aback. "But... didn't you use the sword she gave to you?" she wondered.

"Do you think I would throw a fine blade away like that?" Dark Link grumbled. "That doesn't mean I would have any feelings for her... I'm glad she found her end in the Forest Temple..."

"Yeah, I think that's something we both agree on," Veran nodded.

They both stayed silent for a while.

"Will you come back to serve Lord Ganondorf?" Veran then asked.

"Heck no!" Dark Link spat. "I only did it because he gave me a way to come back for my revenge... in the end, I will kill the Hero of Time on my own... So, you are still loyal to him, then?"

"Of course I am!" Veran said with outrage. "He is my only master!"

The dark doppleganger smirked. "Heh... looks like the spell they put on you is still in effect, then..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!" He stood up. But before he left, he hesitated. "I... always wanted only to serve your family, princess..."

"You aren't the only one who has changed..." Veran grumbled. "Princess Kodachi died a long time ago."

"Still... you are one of the last remains of the old, royal family of Hyrule. I want you to know... when Link is dead, and I still can't find peace... I will return to serve you, as I have done all my life."

Veran was surprised. She didn't know what to say.

"Your sister... is still alive," Dark Link added. "And she knows you are. That's all I wanted to tell you." He turned around to leave.

"Farewell... my princess!"


	36. Well, well

Link was taking another look at the picture he had found in the Water Temple.

"Now, stop worrying about that thing," Ukyo said as they approached Kakariko Village. "While this is the first time I've ever time travelled, I think I already know that it can be pretty mind-boggling."

"No joke," Akane huffed. "I'm still not used to this small body or..." She cursed when she tripped over a rock. "Or these short legs..." she grumbled.

"I know I probably won't find out too soon what this picture is all about..." Link murmured. "It's just that, every time I look at this image, I..." He shook his head. "I dunno... oh well, maybe you're right, I should stop worrying..." He sighed and put the picture back into his bag.

Together, they walked through the village gate. Akane blinked. "You know... it's pretty weird, seeing the village like this... I mean, just an hour ago, we left here, and everything was as it should be... and now, not even all of the houses are finished yet, carpenters are running around everywhere... and there's no sign that the houses have ever burned."

"You've got to remember, this is seven years before Bongo Bongo's attack," Navi told the young Sheikah girl. "If we go to the Shadow Temple now, neither the Shadow Demon nor your mother will be there."

"Yeah, we've got to find the Lens of Truth," Link nodded.

"All right," Ukyo sighed. "Let's get this over with..."

"Well, well..." Tatl muttered. "Well, well, well..."

Navi frowned. "Why do you keep saying that?" she asked the yellow fairy.

Tatl grinned. "Because that's where we have to go to: Into the well!"

Everyone groaned.

* * *

Akane shivered. "V-very s-spooky down here..." she stuttered.

Tatl raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're scared."

"Of course I'm not!" Akane grumbled. "A Sheikah warrior doesn't fear anything! It's just, well... this darkness is somewhat... oppressive, isn't it?"

"I could imagine nicer places to visit," Ukyo agreed. "But Tatl's right, I've never seen you this nervous before."

"Maybe it's because you're in a child's body now," Navi said to Akane. "And your mind might also work like that of a child."

"Th-that's stupid!" Akane protested. "I'm in control of my actions and feelings, and I'm old enough to know that I'm skilled enough to handle every monster that is waiting for us... I shouldn't be scared at all."

"Tell that to your legs," Tatl chuckled. "They are shaking like leaves."

"Um, that was just a Sheikah training routine..." Akane claimed.

"Suuure it was..." Ukyo smirked.

They continued to walk along the long, damp and dark corridor they had found at the bottom of the well. Not too much light was penetrating the darkness, and piles of dirt and rubble were scattered across the floor. Every now and then, a rat scampered past their feet.

"Yuck!" Ukyo retched. "I'm not saying that the places we've been in were very cozy, but this tunnel is disgusting!"

Link shrugged. "After you've walked through the innards of a whale, this is nothing."

They reached an intersection. "Where to now?" Ukyo wondered.

Link raised his finger and pointed at the different tunnels. "Eenie, meenie, minie, moe..."

"Stop that!" Ukyo shouted. "We can't just walk blindly..."

Link shrugged. "Well, you got a better plan?"

"Francoise!"

"Um, did you say anything?" Link asked Ukyo.

The Okonomiyaki chef shook her head. "Nope, not a single word."

"Then who...?"

Akane's teeth were chattering. 'Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh, what if there are ghosts down here...' She shook her head. 'Get a hold of yourself, Akane... you're a skilled Sheikah warrior, and your mother has sealed a Shadow Demon... beating a Poe or some other ghost should be a piece of cake.'

"Francoise, Francoise!"

Just then, a pink figure came floating past them and disappeared in the darkness.

Everyone blinked.

Link raised his finger. "Um, wasn't that...?"

Ukyo nodded. "Yeah, I think so... that was Azusa, the Poe girl we met in the Forest Temple."

Tatl frowned. "That was her, all right... the stupid bimbo who kidnapped my brother!"

The Hero of Time scratched his head. "But, how can she be here...?"

"Time travel, Link..." Navi sighed. "There's no reason why she shouldn't be here, seven years before we're going to meet her. Also, she hasn't kidnapped Tael yet... or even met him, for that matter."

"But that item she carried..." Akane spoke up. "Is it just me, or did it look like..."

"A lens?" Ukyo asked. "No, it's not just you, I saw it, too."

"So that means we have to follow that wacko of a Poe to get the Lens of Truth?" Tatl groaned. "This is just great..."

"Well, she didn't seem that bad back when we met her," Link said. "Maybe we can ask her to give it to us."

"Right, and turtles can fly..." Tatl muttered.


	37. Selfdoubt and Dead Hand

A short distance into the well's dungeon, there had been a decrepit sign left by who knows that had read: 'Dark! Narrow! Scary! Well of Three Features.'

'I don't have time for this, seven years in the past or not, Mom is depending on me!' thought Akane as she had marched straight onwards into the darkness.

Now however, Akane mentally whimpered: 'Couldn't that sign have at least been lying about one of those features?' The heroes had followed Azusa deeper into the maze that apparently lay underneath the deceptively humble looking well. While Azusa could make herself immaterial, apparently she couldn't do the same for the lens and was forced to travel along a path the heroes were barely able to follow.

Akane felt her nerves being ground down like cheese on a grate as she followed the others through the small passage that reminded her of the aqueducts that were once in Hyrule Castle. Link took front, Ukyo following behind, Navi and Tatl providing light on both ends with Akane herself bringing up the rear.

Akane hadn't thought about it until now how her clothes had changed to what she'd have worn seven years prior. 'Am I... am I wearing a copy of what that other me out there is wearing right now, looking for mom and the princess? I really wish I had worn gloves then!' The heroes would have never fit through the passageway as adults, and even as kids, the long chamber was a tight squeeze. Akane felt ages of filth and THINGS impress themselves into the grooves of her fingerprints as she crawled along, the muck of the ceiling and walls smudging into her sides with every inch. Akane's entire body shivered as she felt her bare hand press into something that squished between her fingers, something that she couldn't hope to identify in the darkness. 'Goddess, small miracles.'

"S-so how are you guys holding up?" Akane asked, anything to get her mind off this. "You guys doing alright? I saw castle privies that were neater than this."

"Meh, this is nothing," Link said as he crawled along like a trooper. "You should have seen how Mido, that's this big mouth from Kokiri Forest, pushed me into a Deku Shrub nest this one time!"

Ukyo chirped in: "There was also that time I stumbled into those leftovers from a kill some Wolfos had apparently left behind. I couldn't eat anything for days... Hey, Link!"

"Yeah?"

"I just want ya to know: While I always knew I was a Hylian, I was always so happy that you, Saria and everyone else accepted me as one of you. I'm honored that you guys all consider me a Kokiri."

"Thanks, Ukyo! But I'm not... really a Kokiri either, so it's not like my vote counts on that sort of thing." The reminder of Link finding out just how different he was from all the others he had been raised by was a mark that wouldn't just vanish any time soon.

"Don't you start sounding like Mido! Link, I never believed I was really a Kokiri, but I was still part of the group all the same, that's what counts with me, and that's what should count with you."

"Thank you, Ukyo, really, thanks!"

Navi sniffed. She regretted it, but said all the same: "Oh, that's so sweet! You two are so cute together."

Ukyo and Link face's burned in the darkness.

"Oh, gag me!"

Navi frowned. "Do you always have to ruin the moment, Tatl?"

"I just want us to stay on task, we're on a treasure slash ghost hunt, not a support group soul search!"

"We wouldn't need to if the lens we need was just at the bottom of the well instead of deep inside yet ANOTHER creepy dungeon. Who made all these places? Endangered Monster Protection groups?"

"Mom told me," Akane began, doing her best to ignore the feelings of hard pressure, cold slick slim, and rough stone hammering at her knees all at once. "That this well used to be in the backyard of a man who could see the truth. But his house burned down, and the well was all that was left."

"So he must have had the lens."

"Do you always have to blab the obvious, Navi?" Tatl retorted.

"Well, excuuuse me..."

"So was this guy a Sheikah too?" Ukyo asked, knowing Link was never the type to ask.

"I don't know," Akane confessed, "Mom never went into detail, and almost nobody in town ever mentions it. If not for Mom, I might not have known about it. But the Lens of Truth is supposed to be a Sheikah artifact, so it makes sense."

"I wonder why everyone's so hush hush about something like that?" Navi always could ask the right questions. "And why was it here in the well in the first place?"

And Tatl could always give a sharp and pragmatic answer. "Well, since none of you are really kids, I suppose I can share the obvious conclusion." The kids would have turned their heads to look at her, but there wasn't enough room in the cramped tunnel. "People like to keep secrets, both silly and sinister. People as a general rule are afraid of the truth."

"That's absurd!" Navi retorted.

"Is it? Navi, what if it turned out you were an imp transmuted into a fairy, who then lost her memory? Would you want to find out what you used to be? But if you want something less abstract, how about this one? Would you trust someone who might have see-through vision? What if you hid something precious where no one else knew where it was? And it was stolen? Who'd you think was the most likely thief? Someone you had a wonderful discussion with about your house the other day, or the person who might be able to see through walls and could have seen where you put your precious something?"

"You're saying he was a scapegoat?" Akane whispered.

"Or someone with just too many secrets just wanted to be rather safe than sorry. Not that any of us are ever likely going to know for sure what really happened to him."

Navi decided it was best not to mention the human skeleton she had noticed in the corner of the room they had first come into when they first entered the well.

* * *

The giant shadow beast brooded in its personal chamber, banging its giant drum, commanding the various spirits and corpses in the glorified mausoleum and prison to strike down the hateful woman who had made him a prisoner of that cramped, tiny well years before who now trespassed in the house of the dead. The ones who even the spirit world would not accept through it's doors, or so they believed.

Its flesh as black as roasted meat, its severed hands striking the drum again and again to vent its anger, the single Sheikah eye peering out of the stump of its beheaded neck. Memories twisted faded images devoid of sense. Even its name had been one it had taken when its real one was forgotten, for the drum it now beat. The Evil King had offered it freedom and revenge, of course it would serve the wicked ruler, for now. After all, all that remained was the hate, the hate's origin and reason long forgotten, leaving nothing but the hate!

* * *

"But then why leave the lens lying about, then?" Ukyo asked, stunned at all of this.

"Well," Tatl thought. "These are all just theories mind you, but he either hid it, or the locals put it behind as many nasties as they dared place it among to keep anyone else from using it. Or your mother put it down here herself for safe keeping. But that does leave the question why she wouldn't have gotten it herself."

"If anything you said was even remotely true," Akane said, "Then WHY wouldn't the villagers just smash the lens?"

"Even I can answer that."

"Huh?" Tatl looked at Navi.

The blue fair simply shrugged and said: "They couldn't destroy it."

"Why not put it on a ship across the ocean?"

"Keep your friend close, and keep your enemies even closer."

Link scratched his head. "What's an ocean?"

"Link!"

"What?"

"But Mom MUST have had the Lens before, if she beat Bongo before!" Akane insisted.

"Maybe it was stolen from her after that," Tatl thought.

"But wouldn't she had mentioned something like that to me or my sisters?"

"Not unless it happened sometime before you came along, no offense sweetie, but your mom is not a young woman."

"Hey! You're supposed to be my fairy," Ukyo injected. "I thought we were supposed to do the whole casual chat bounding thing."

"Well, maybe if you acknowledged I exist a bit more."

Ukyo's cute face softened somewhat. "...I do..."

Akane blinked, then got her thoughts back together. "But, but then why does Azusa have it down here at all?"

"Fate?" Navi suggested.

"Huh?!"

Navi continued: "Maybe this is where it belongs, maybe it was called back here by happenstance and chance, who knows, maybe after we're done with it, it'll accidentally fall down this well again."

"That's stupid!" Tatl retorted.

"If you've got a better explanation, then I'm all ears."

"We're out!" Link declared, crawling out of the cramped tunnel into a much larger chamber, Navi floating near him. Ukyo soon followed suit, and Akane scurried on all fours faster than she thought possible, just to be liberated from the claustrophobic space. Tatl flew past Akane and floated near Ukyo. Akane stayed close, if for no other reason than being near the only source of light in the dark, dark underground and being the only one without a free floating living lamp.

Akane resisted the urge to wipe her hands on her leggins, knowing she'd only get her hands even more soiled. 'I am never saying the castle clean staff had an easy job ever again!'

"Where'd Azusa go?" Ukyo looked around.

Tatl shrugged. "Shouldn't be too hard to find, just listen for the insane chatter."

"Up!" Navi shouted.

"I don't think she'd have gone through the ceiling, Nav..."

"No! Look up!"

Link didn't need to. He heard that ominous wind, and saw the unnatural shadow growing underneath Akane's feet. Always one to react before anyone else, Link grabbed Akane and threw her out of the way, as the giant undead hand landed on the ground where she had been standing. It wasn't Bongo. A second later before the thing could rise back up for another dive, it was splattered like a bug underneath Ukyo's battle spatula, the magic shock wave nearly knocking all off them off their feet. As soon as Ukyo lifted up her weapon however, three normal-sized versions of the monstrous hand began to scurry into the darkness in all directions. "Oh no! You're not getting away!" Ukyo swore. She made a hand gesture and punched the ground. "Din's Fire!"

A sphere of flame expanded from the impact points. The heroes braced themselves, but they only felt a summer breeze, but the sub-parts of the things were not so lucky and burst into flames, then ashes.

Akane breathed in deep. "What was that thing?!" She looked at Ukyo. "You know magic?!"

Ukyo just nodded. "Yes, I do, remember that visit to the Great Fairy? That was the spell she gave me."

"That creature was a Wall Master," Navi explained, "If it grabs you, it takes you back to the entrance of wherever you are. I think they're in the top ten of Hyrule's Most Aggravating Monsters list."

Link blinked. "There's a list?"

Akane felt sick at the idea having to go through that tunnel again, then remembered she'd have to anyway, to get out of here, and collected herself. She was a Sheikah, she was supposed to always be aware of her surroundings, and she hadn't been. "Any other Great Fairies you're planning on visiting?"

Ukyo took out the map given to her. "Well, this Great Fairy looks like she's in the middle of nowhere, but this one looks like she's... underneath the water in Zora's Domain?"

"I guess we need to visit her in this time then," Navi concluded. "When everything isn't covered with ice."

"The ice melted, remember?" Tatl pointed out and rolled her eyes.

"Huh? Oh! Right! But still it's best to visit it when Ganondorf isn't causing trouble, right?"

Akane stomped her foot and said: "What's best is that we find that Azuzu ghost or whoever and get that lens and get back to the future and save my mother!" She marched forward. 'I am a Sheikah. Shadow is my natural element! I am a nocturnal creature! I'm not afraid of the dark!'

Five minutes later, however...

"Ahhh!" Akane screamed as she ran in the opposite direction of the metal statue's sweeping heat ray.

"Who installed the laser monsters?" the child hero called Ukyo muttered as she took out a Goron bomb to blow the thing into pieces.

"You ever notice how their lower half has a big, ugly mouth?" Navi observed idly.

Ukyo looked at Link's fairy. "No! I'm too busy not getting incinerated! And why are you mentioning that now?!"

"Why not?"

"AGH!"

Another five minutes later... "Give me back my shield!" Link shouted as he sliced the disgusting leech like mollusk in half, leaving his undigested shield in its opened belly.

"These things again?!" Ukyo exasperated."And if these things eat armor or whatever, why don't they eat those giant chain locks? They're metal, right? Why do they have to eat up the stuff that's actually useful to us?"

Navi chirped: "Well you know what they say: Shield Eaters and World Leaders have many likes alike..."

"...That makes no sense."

Five more minutes later. Akane forced a rusted metal door open, revealing an undead Gibdo on the other side, which slowly reached out its arms for her throat. "Mommy!"

"No, a mummy!" Navi corrected reactively.

"That's what I said!" Akane lied, ducking.

Yet another five minute later... "TAKE THAT! And that! And that! And that!" Akane screamed, flinging her throwing needles at several innocent bats and anything else that moved.

Bystanders to this havoc, Ukyo looked at Tatl. "Where did all these monsters come from? Did Ganondorf send them here? Did he know about this place?"

"No, I don't think so. I think these things are just a 'natural' occurrence. They aren't really set up in a pattern to guard anything."

"Giant Armor eating leeches, rotating deathray eyed statues, and oversized undead hands that drag whoever grabs them back to the beginning of the place are natural?!"

"Well, maybe someone did put the Beamos down here for security, but it doesn't seem Ganondorf's style. They aren't...well organized."

"You think Azusa is working for Ganondorf at this point?"

"Maybe, but I doubt it. She didn't really seem fixated on Ganondorf's cause when we met her."

* * *

Meanwhile, below the spirit temple, the three other Poe Sisters were wondering where their fourth idiotic adopted sibling had wandered off to this time. They had broken Princess Kodachi, but it would still take more than a little time to condition a new personality in her. Stupid girl! Why had the witches recruited her, anyway? She had none of the hatred, envy, or anger her sisters-in-arms did, she was just a relatively harmless, mad spirit having trouble accepting that her life was over and leaving her collection behind. 'Idiot even suggested we should keep the brat pink because it's a cuter color than corpse blue! At least she's an extra set of hands...'

* * *

Having exhausted her needles, Akane began the slow task of retrieving them, having burned her tantrum out. 'Monsters, gunk, monsters, tight spaces, the air is so thick, I just want out of this awful place! Worthless ghost! If she wasn't dead, I'd kill her with my bare hands!'

"Do you think we've lost her?" Ukyo asked Link.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Azusa had to have come this way, so if he tried to leave the well she'd run into us."

"That isn't who I meant," Ukyo whispered.

Link blinked in naive confusion. The fairies groaned. 'I know Ukyo needed a family more than anything when she came to us,' Navi thought, 'But maybe the Deku Tree should have let Ukyo teach the Kokiri a few things about the outside world after all. I never thought about it, but Ukyo effectively lost a father twice. But at least she has memories of her biological parent, Link doesn't even have that. I wonder which one of them is more lucky.'

Akane placed her last kunai back in her belt. 'There. Maybe we should stop for a bit. Maybe that dumb ghost will run into us. Besides, I really think I need a rest.' She turned around to face her friends and screamed. The shout made the destined children dash to the sides of the narrow passage, as a giant skull nearly the size of the corridor came around the corner while madly babbling.

"Blablablablablabla!"

Link and Ukyo got goosebumps as the skull flew right past them, the green flames enveloping it, sucking the heat right out of their skin. A pair of ridiculously small bat wings flapped to either side of it.

"It's a Green Bubble!" Navi shouted, "Don't let its flames touch you! Or it's curse won't let you hold a weapon for a minute!"

"Since when do they grow this huge?!" Tatl gasped losing her composure. "And I thought only the blue ones curse you." It was at least ten times the mass of the Red Bubble the heroes had seen before.

Ukyo almost lost her battle focus at the name. "GREEN 'Bubble'? Who names these freaky things anyway?!"

Link drew the Master Sword, ready to sunder the thing, but Navi flew in front of him. "Wait! I don't think it noticed us! See? It's just flying along the path like it can't even see us!"

Then Link suddenly remembered he was holding the KOKIRI Sword, not the Master Sword... the Master Sword was back in the pedestal, in the Temple of Time. 'I didn't think how used I already was to holding it.'

However, Akane was straight in its path. Seeing the giant skull looming closer and closer put Akane's now child-like imagination into overdrive, conjuring up images too frightening to be comprehended by a rational mind.

* * *

"Mama, I wanna check out the fields at night."

"Akane-chan, you can barely hold your sword properly. We can't risk you going out. Stalchildren could kill you!"

"I'm not scared of a bunch of stale kids!"

Later, she was doing just what her mother had warned her not to do. "Ha! I knew I could go outside the castle town on my own! And the moon's so pretty out here without all those lights from Castle Town.. huh? What are you? No, stay back! Go away!"

* * *

"No, stay back! Go away!" Akane shouted. She edged into a wall as the Green Bubble mindlessly changed course and continued on its path.

Akane was instantly flanked by her team mates.

"Akane, are you okay?"

Akane shook her head and stood up. "Of course I'm fine!"

"You sure didn't sound fine," Link said sternly.

"Shut up!" Akane barked, "Unlike you two I'm not really a little kid! You guys are just kids that got changed into grownups! You said so yourself! While I'm a grownup made into a kid by these stupid time travel rules, so when I'm say I'm fine, that means I'm fine!"

The fairies' lights dimmed, Link and Ukyo took a step back, worry bubbling up in their guts.

"So let's go already! Just you watch! I'll take that---AAAAHHH!" And as Akane stomped foreword further down the seemingly endless path, she fell THROUGH the floor. It didn't break, open, or move, it was like Akane had fallen through air! They heard her scream fall for several more yards before they heard her give a grunt in parallel with a thud that she had hit the ground.

"AKANE!" Link shouted as he ran up to where Akane had fallen, before Ukyo and Navi grabbed him by the tunic collar.

"Link, don't be stupid!" Ukyo said. "You saw what happened? What did happen?!"

"I guess if you're going to build a place to protect something that can see through illusions, it's a good guess that whoever wants it can't see through illusions already, so it's a logical thing to guard the thing with." Navi said almost to herself.

"Whatever! Who cares!" Link snapped. "Come on! Let's go! You heard her! She's okay! I just know she is! Come on, Navi!" Link broke free from his friend and jumped into the fake floor image, vanishing much like Akane but much more controlled. Navi hesitated for half a second before flying down after him. She was his guardian, after all.

"Link!" Ukyo shouted. "You baka!"

Ukyo inched to where her two companions had vanished, until she felt where the real floor ended and the hole covered up by the sensory lie began. She carefully stuck her arm through the illusion floor, dainty but still muscular even at this age from a lifetime of outside play. She could smell rotting flesh and dirt rising up from the hole.

"Does Link's heart always have to be bigger than his brain?" Ukyo lamented, "Doesn't matter who it is, if someone's in trouble or something's wrong he's just got to fix it or help them. Maybe I should just wait for him up here, teach him about always rushing in... then again, I wouldn't be much of a real sister if I just left him hanging. Real sister? Where did that thought come from? Still, we're the only family either of us really have. Maybe I've always thought of Link as the brother I never got to have after Ranma's dad betrayed me." She shook her head. "Did I really just see Link as a replacement Ranma? No, Ranma liked us sparring cause it was fun for him. Link never wanted to fight... fighting was just something Kokiri never liked doing. Maybe Link's been right all this time and I should do the Kokiri thing and just let it go. Nothing I do to Genma is going to bring my Dad back, and there's nothing that thief can do to repay what I lost..." She sighed. "It's weird how that bloodlust I felt before just feels unnatural now that I'm ... me again? I'm going be that woman in seven years, no matter what I do. Maybe I should stop fixating on the family I lost and remember the family I have."

"Let's start now," Tatl said, reminding Ukyo that the yellow fairy was a independent part of the universe. And with force no one would suspect a fairy to have, she pushed her charge straight into the hole.

"TATL!"

"Sorry, Ukky.. but if you did any more soul searching, I think you might have been too late to help," Tatl said as she calmly floated down after her.

Link did a quick roll to avoid breaking his legs as he landed on the well's bottom layer. Navi thought: 'If this is where the water comes from, I don't wanna drink any!'

It wasn't a true chamber, truly just a hollowed out hole in the ground with tunnels, most of them blocked off by solid rock going off in several directions. Hugging one side of the 'chamber' was a nearly glowing, thick, sickly green pool of what could jokingly be called 'water'. It flowed with neither feed nor exit, crisscrossed with wooden beams... Link diverted his eyes before he couldn't lie to himself anymore that those were branches sticking up from the water instead of skeletons' hands and feet. Just behind the pool was a ladder apparently leading up to the upper level (hopefully).

Link heard a scream that was that anything but human and saw the ReDead limping towards Akane on the ground near the pool, every muscle in her body frozen in place by the thing's undead stare.

The monster's focus thankfully was totally on Akane, and without even giving it a first thought Link, cut down the disgusting mockery of life. It fell into a pile of its own broken flesh before dissolving into dirt and whatever else it was made from. Link sheathed his sword before he heard a girly wail behind him and saw Ukyo land on her rear with Tatl flying gracefully down with a too smug look on her face.

"Ukyo, are you hurt?" Link asked.

"Just my trust in my fairy guardian... Forget about me, how's Akane?"

"A ReDead was reaching for her, but I took care of it..."

Ukyo frowned slightly. "'How is she?' I asked. Not 'What happened?'"

'You two drive each other crazy like siblings,' Navi thought.

Link, however, instantly understood his error and turned to check on his friend. "Akane? You okay? Are you hurt anywhere? It's okay, you can move now, the ReDead's gone..."

A couple of Akane's muscles twitched before she cried: "Link!" And the little girl hugged onto the little boy, crying tears into his green tunic. "Link, I wanna go home! I wanna go back to Kodachi annoying me! I wanna go back to training in the castle courtyard! I wanna go back to failing at making Kasumi act more like a warrior than a hand maiden! I wanna go back to looking at Chancellor Kuno's ugly clothes! I wanna go back to hating how Mom still tucked me in at night and kissed me! I wanna, I wanna!"

Link looked at Akane in utter confusion. 'First she was scared out of her wits, then she's angry at everything, now it's like she's broken inside, what's going on?'

"Akane... what's wrong?"

"Link, I'm scared! I don't want to be here anymore! I hate it here! Let's go to that forest of yours and you can introduce me to all of your friends! Anywhere! Let's just get out of here!"

"Akane..." Playing this totally by ear, Link hugged her gently. "I don't believe that. Remember some days ago in Jabu-Jabu's belly? It was a lot more disgusting than this. And you're the one who saved my rear from that oversized Octorok."

"Link, that was seven years ago..."

"For me it wasn't! And anyone who'd do that, who'd go through Jabu-Jabu without even flinching I know is way too good and way too brave to break down in a place like this!"

Akane somehow seemed too cold in Link's arms as she said just above a whisper: "I could always remember that day, when we split up on the plains outside Hyrule Castle, after Ganondorf let us go... you went to the Temple of Time, I went after my family... I had no idea it would be the last time I'd see you two for seven years. But now I can remember it as clear as day."

Ukyo had a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as she saw how ashen Akane's face looked as the little girl continued as if speaking to the shadows.

"I wasn't there to help them. The castle fell and I wasn't there to help them. I was a child, yet I was able to slay giant beasts... but I wasn't there to save them from a horde of thieves, freaks, and maniacs. My sisters at least were there. But I was the one with the most Sheikah training! And I wasn't there! Just like I wasn't there to protect Princess Kodachi! I hated the idea of having to be her bodyguard. She was spoiled and weird and I wanted nothing to do with her! So instead of being her shadow, like a Sheikah bodyguard is supposed to be, I stayed as far away from her as possible, and she vanished when I was supposed to be looking out for her! I kept thinking of all the horrible things I wanted to happen to her, all the sweet humiliations that would put her royal ego in place. I knew it would be precisely what she deserved! But... I never dreamed any of them would actually happen! Ganondorf probably murdered her himself before the castle even fell! Mom... never told the king I was the one who was supposed to be watching her. I didn't get in trouble because Mom LIED to the king for me!"

"That's because she LOVES YOU," Navi implored. The dirt around Akane shifted.

"I was a coward who didn't want to face punishment for my own choices. I was a coward who didn't want to follow you guys to what fate had planned for you in the Temple of Time. I was a coward who didn't do anything, and when she was needed the most." She let out a laugh as joyless as the ashes of a funeral pyre. "Nabiki always laughed and said that since I was such a tomboy, I'd never meet anyone who'd ever like me back. That I was too much of a hothead to form a bond with anyone. That I was too judgemental to ever find someone to forge a future with. That I'd die just like Sheikah live, alone. The only thing that's ever kept me going is that my family needed me, and that there was still one princess left to protect.... But my family DOESN'T need me! Never has! Never will! You're the ones armed with destiny at your backs, remember?! You don't need me! You'll just waltz in, take the lens, go kill Bongo Bongo, awaken what remains of the Sages, kill Ganondorf, save Hyrule, and could do it blindfolded, because that's what fate has degreed will happen! I'm just an add-on here! You could cut me away, and what you guys can do and will do won't change one bit! Someone who's of no use to anyone and can never hope to find someone to walk alongside them DESERVES to rot down here, where they can vanish to the world without anyone noticing..."

Link gasped when he saw the skeletal hands reach out of the dirt and grab onto Akane's kneeling legs and her backside. Ukyo saw them too. Link used his left hand to take out his sword and cut at the bones, but it was like he was hacking at solid stone.

Link looked in horror as Akane's pale body began to skink into the muck.

"You know, when I first met Ranma, I thought he was kind of cute... but he was already taken by that Gerudo girl... and that's how it's been for every other guy I've met. It's stupid, I've seen people who weren't even looking for someone else bump into their other half. And at the beginning, I just told myself that's perfectly fine by me, what did I care what Nabiki said? Or about having dead weight to drag around? I wish I had never met that baka Ranma! If I never had, then I'd have never felt these things to begin with! Whoever said 'better to love and lose, then never to love' was a idiot! At least then I'd never know what it was that I was missing out on! I am a Sheikah! Damned to the shadows! So why not sooner than later?"

She looked down at herself, and didn't react alarmed or scared in the least.

Link had had enough. He dropped his sword and shield and began pulling on one of Akane's small arms, pressing his little child muscles to their extreme. It look only two seconds for Ukyo to join him pulling at the other arm as Akane sank, the fairies pulling as well.

Akane realized what the forest siblings were doing and snarled: "Get the Hell away from me!"

"Fat chance!" Tatl barked.

Navi shouted out: "You think because the first nice guy you met was for someone else means there's no one out there for you? I didn't think your Mom raised idiots! You're not even halfway through life and you're saying the game's already over?!"

Link looked into the Sheikah child's red eyes. "Listen, Akane! You were right! This darkness is oppressive! Don't you see?! It's FEASTING on you! I'll admit I haven't know you as long as I should, but the person I fought alongside in Jabu-Jabu's belly wasn't someone who'd tear themselves apart on self doubt! You're no coward and have never been! You're the most stalwart person I know!"

Ukyo put all her weight into it: "Bongo Bongo is still sealed in this place right now, remember?! It's him! That thing! I can tell you right now that the little voice in your heart that's telling you you're no good or surplus isn't yours!"

Navi let go and flew right into Akane's face, not letting her dare look away! "And let me tell you something about destiny, little missy! Destiny tells you what tasks have been set before you! They don't guarantee you'll do them or that you'll succeed at them! That part is up to you! And there is NOTHING that say you have to or should do them alone!"

"And we're doing this..." Link hissed, putting his back into it. Ukyo felt her muscles scream. "With you!!"

"You..." Akane blinked, as if clouds faded from her eyes, color returned to her face, and in that moment the bones wrapped around her body shattered like they were made of chain sugar, and Akane's legs were even on the ground as if they had never sunk.

The sudden release in resistance had the three kids falling over backwards, hitting the dirty ground in a dog pile with Akane on top and the forest siblings on the bottom. After just laying there for several seconds, with the fairies orbiting around them, Akane laughed. In that second she felt more alive than she remembered recently being. Akane let herself feel the rush of the endless possibilities that youth offered but you never realized until after. All the weights and fears for a moment, just a moment turning to so much vapor, as the tykes slowly untangled themselves. Akane's laugh proved contagious and soon the two Hylians were laughing as well.

"So that's what they meant," Navi whispered.

"Huh?" Link looked at his guardian as the laughter settled down in the deep dark pit.

"The spirits, not the ghosts or ghouls we've been running into, but spirits, invisible... they've been whispering since we got here: 'Seek the eye of truth'. I thought they meant the lens, but I think now they were talking about something a wee bit different."

"I think you're right," Akane agreed, smiling, not caring about the dirty smudges all over her face, just like any child.

Link nodded and took a couple steps away from his friends and picked up his sword and shield and shouted to the darkness: "OKAY! NOW COME OUT!"

Navi wondered if Link had lost it. "Link?"

"I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! You aren't getting Akane or any of us! Akane even as a kid is way too stubborn to let herself start beating herself in the middle of things! So come out and fight face to face, you filthy coward! Unless poisoning someone with fake super imposed maniac depression is the only weapon you have!"

The ground near the heroes began to churn and boil like a blister as some THING slowly forced its way to the surface.

Akane gently pushed Link aside and stepped in front of him. "Leave this thing to me!" She said calmly and properly.

Link looked at his friend. "Akane?"

"I owe this thing! Nobody plays my emotions like a puppet on strings! I am Akane Tendo! A brave, frightening, and deathly skilled ninja! Of a proud and honorable line of Sheikah! With a family that loves me and friends who support me!"

She stepped forth. "You're nothing but a parasite feeding off of living peoples' weak points like a con artist! I don't know how many trophies you've collected since whatever brought you into this world spat you out! But you've already reeled in your last victim! Come and get me, you coward!"

And a thing out of her nightmares broke through the surface of the ground, but now Akane wasn't afraid to face it.

* * *

Author's Note:

This chapter has been written by Alex Warlorn and was proofread and corrected by me.


	38. Akane's battle

The fairies hovered back as Akane charged at the abomination of life and death.

"That thing... It's name is Dead Hand!" Navi exclaimed. "Be careful! It's very dangerous!"

"That's different from normal how?" Tatl snapped.

The thing had a fat body that contrasted with its skinny, handless arms and its ostrich-like neck that ended with a skull-like face with skin stretched over it. The thing pushed it's body along towards Akane like a slug, shoving it's own mass along with neither legs nor feet. What was most revolting of it, however, was its flesh, as pale as a maggot and marked with large, open red scars.

Ukyo's stomach inverted itself as she nearly suffered flashbacks from that dead animal she had laid eyes on in Lost Woods. All the other undead horrors they had seen were just bones or dried out flesh, but this thing... Ukyo did her best to agree with herself that it was just her imagination when she saw little things squirming underneath the thing's pale skin.

The thing's neck bent down as its jaw opened impossibly wide, giving off a horrid stink of rotting flesh that caught the heroes off guard. The ReDead had at least smelled more of treated leather and graveyard soil.

Akane just held her breath and drew a kodachi from her back side (not trying to fight the flash of images of someone named after them) and breathed out as she slashed at the thing's face. After a couple of contacts the thing turned around with surprising speed, leaving Akane to attack its backside, which proved much more resistant to her slashes with its protective layers of dead flesh.

Even as Ukyo and Link circled it, the thing began to burrow into the dirt again and vanished, flaying dirt everywhere as it sunk out of view.

"We won?" Navi dared asking a moment before four snake-like arms the same color as Dead Hand's flesh wormed out of the ground like a fountain. Four grasping hands on poles longer than an adult Hylian were grabbing at the child heroes. The forest kids were far enough away, but Akane, as she was between all four of them, suddenly felt how one of them grabbed her head from behind, the dirty dirty bloody nails piercing into her skin.

"At least now we know how it got its name," Ukyo heard herself say.

"AKANE!" Link shouted, his Kokiri sword already drawn to cut his friend free.

"Stay back!" Akane snarled at him. "Stay back or I will fight you, too!"

Link stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the child Shiekah in bewilderment.

"Sorry! But I don't want your help!"

'Only a Sheikah...' Tatl thought.

Link was a selfless idiot. "Too bad!" He took a step forward.

"So sad!" Akane snapped back, her kodachi slicing cleanly through the boneless arm of corpse flesh, causing Link to step back again.

"Akane behind..." Navi started.

"See it this time!" Akane called. From the moment Akane was grabbed, it had already begun to emerge. The short drama between the heroes had given it a proper distraction to come out of the group to bite its prey, or at least, that's what it intended to do. Akane slashed its vulnerable head ruthlessly, causing the thing to let out a breathless groan.

Again it turned around and retreated back into the soil. However, Akane was prepared when the previously destroyed hand rose up from the dirt again.

"If you think I'm letting myself be infected by your dirty claws again you've got this coming!" Akane snapped, not caring if the thing understood or heard her or not. With fluid, almost artistic motions, Akane danced with her kodachi, cleaving the four hand snakes away in a matter of seconds, not wasting a single motion.

A bit slowly, as if unwilling, the pile of dirt rose again, revealing the thing's main body. Near mindless in its actions, the undead thing rose its neck up high along with its vulnerable head. Before Akane could test to see if its neck was as vulnerable as its arms, it brought its head down and that horrible stench made Akane gag. She withstood it, avoiding the thing's savage bite with its oversized teeth. Akane cut at its head again in a third barrage, slicing away at the dead skin and the empty eye sockets and skull underneath, until the skull finally broke in two right down the middle. Whatever dark force was keeping the thing moving could longer maintain the dead thing's locomotion, and with one last lifeless groan, its mollusk-like lower body fell over on its side with a powerful thud, turning to dirt and decomposing in seconds.

Akane took deep breaths, not caring about the bad stench. She looked at her friends with a tired, but happy and satisfied expression and placed her kodachi back in its sheath in another fluid motion.

Ukyo felt an odd sense of uninvolvement. "Er, aren't we supposed to take part in all the major battles in this quest?"

"That fight was just for show," the young Sheikah said to her friend. "You guys already helped me beat it."

"Just don't go mentioning it every fifteen minutes for the rest of our lives."

"Tatl!" Ukyo scolded her fairy.

"Just felt like saying it."

Link sighed. "Well, at least that's one less thing for us to worry about."

Akane nodded, smiling. "Now let's go see if we can find that ghost of..."

"That was amazing!" said an echoing feminine voice. "The way you heroically saved her from Dead Hand! The way she defeated it so elegantly! Azusa hasn't seen anything so fantastic since her Mikado left!"

Link, of course, automatically drew his sword. Ukyo put her hand on her spatula. Azusa either didn't notice or didn't consider seemingly mundane weapons a danger to her. The Poe sister floated down, wearing a tattered ballet dress.

It was odd for Ukyo and Link to meet this ghost what was apparently earlier than their first meeting with her. The spirit just zipped around to look at them. Besides having no concept of personal space, she made no hostile actions.

"Azusa came down here looking for Francoise and she finds a bunch of cute little kids fighting a heroic battle against Dead Hand! You remind Azusa of Mikado!"

"Mikado?" Akane asked. 'She couldn't be THAT Azusa.'

"Mikado... Azusa's partner! She and Mikado are the best dancers in Hyrule! Azusa not seen Mikado for long long time! But Azusa knows Mikado around here somewhere! Until then, Azusa has lots of friends to keep her company!"

"Who's Francoise?" Ukyo asked. No one thought to tell Azusa their names more for the strangeness of the situation than any precaution to prevent changes to the timeline.

"Francoise is right here." Azusa pulled out a teddy bear that was faded, dirty, and moth eaten. "Azusa lost Francoise a while ago, Azusa finally remembered where she last saw Francoise, Francoise of course forgives Azusa, isn't that wonderful?"

"Er..." Link spoke up. "We were looking for a pretty lens, we think we saw it with you, we really, really, REALLY need to help our friend's mom, could we have it?"

"This? Why do you want it? It's not cute," Azusa said, pulling out a purple, magnifying glass-shaped purple lens. "Azusa carried it just because it helped Azusa to see through some walls. Azusa doesn't need it now, you can have it." Not relating to the least out of compassion Azusa tossed the legendary magic artifact to Link without a second thought.

Link caught the lens, but Ukyo took it from him. "This is a magic item, remember? I'm betting only someone with magic can use it."

"I really need to visit the Great Fairy." Link sighed.

"Azusa and Francoise have to go now. Azusa's supposed to be helping her sisters give princess super special makeover, though no one listens to Azusa when she gives suggestions anyway. Azusa doesn't want to be in trouble with old hags again! Au revoir!"

'Princess?!'

"Hold on! Wait!" Akane called, but Azusa had already floated back up through the ceiling, no longer be restrained by the material lens of truth. "It can't be..." Akane shook her head. Without any more information, she wasn't about to let what she just heard drive her mad. But it had still planted the seed of the question into her mind. She felt her blade weapon. 'Kodachi, what happened to you?'

"Well we got the lens, and we're rid of that stupid ghost! Let's get out of this mud hole!" Tatl declared. Everyone nodded, having had enough of this hole of death.

Navi just had to ask: "With Mikado... do you think she was talking about Captain Mikado?"

Akane knew the answer, but didn't answer it directly at first, she simply spoke, not even looking at them: "Her full name is Azusa Shiratori. I heard a couple nobles at Hyrule Castle chatting about her once. Captain Mikado Sanzenin was her partner… they were pretty much called the best dancers in Hyrule. Azusa was always eccentric and Mikado always a playboy. They said that after Mikado rejected her, Azusa's eccentric attitude went into full blown insanity. She spent the rest of her days as a mad woman talking to random objects as if they were people. They were talking about how to divide up her home since she had no heirs or relatives."

Navi shook her head, "That's... so sad... she's dead and she doesn't even get to be with the guy she liked again? What a cheat."

"I wonder what's keeping her here in the world of the living then?" Ukyo asked.

"I can answer that," Link said. "Ganondorf!"

"Root of ninety percent of Hyrule's current troubles," Tatl quipped.

Akane looked at the Sheikah artifact Ukyo was holding. 'Mom, we're coming.'

* * *

Author's Note:

This episode was written by Alex Warlorn and proofread and corrected by me, Shritistrang.


	39. Sage Training

"Yes, that's it!" Rauru smiled as he looked into the flames Ryoga was conjuring up. "Don't force the flames, guide them. Feel their heat become one with the pulse of your heart."

Ryoga had his eyes closed. The Goron boy was standing in front of a big marble candelabra and flexed his muscles. But in his mind, he was calm. The heat was surrounding him and the flames formed a dancing pillar that seemed to leap out of where they were burning. But he had no fear. He controlled the fire, he was the Sage of Fire.

"I... I can see something..." he grunted as he opened his eyes wide and stared into the fire.

"It is the past you're seeing," Rauru explained. "Tell me what you see."

"I see... I see Akane! But she's a little kid again... Link and Ukyo are with her, too... they are on their way to the Temple of Time..."

"Good, then they managed to accomplish their mission," the Sage of Light smiled. "Soon enough, they will be back in our time... and the Sage of Shadow will soon be with us."

"Why... why is it that I am seeing exactly that point in time?" Ryoga asked. "Why not one year ago? Or twelve years? Or even hundred years?"

"Remember, they are heroes of fate," Rauru told the young Fire Sage. "And the fate of the Hero of Time is closely entwined with that of the Seven Sages. No matter where in time and space Link is, we can find him if we concentrate on our respective element. Now, continue with the exercises I told you about. Our powers will be well-trained by the time we fight the king of evil."

Leaving Ryoga to his exercises, he walked over to Saria and Ruto. The Kokiri and Zora were using their powers in a little competition of skills. With the powers of the forest, Saria created a wall made of wood and vines, to block the wave of water Ruto was directing at her.

"C'mooon, my waters!" Ruto grumbled as she focussed all her willpower on the water stream she was controlling. "You're stronger than a few little plants... remove them already!"

"Princess, you are trying too hard," Rauru said. "Be as flexible and formless and the water. You know the feeling when you swim freely through the depths of a lake?"

"Well, duh! Of course, I'm a Zora!"

"Well, it's the same feeling. Only that this time around, it's not you who's moving through the water, it's the water that is moving around by your powers."

"I... can't... do it..." Ruto grimaced as the vines grew even closer to block even the smallest drop of water.

Even though Saria was a nice and gentle girl, she couldn't help but grin smugly at Ruto's efforts. 'That's what you get for stealing my boy away, Mrs. Fish!'

She looked up in surprise when Rauru walked around her barrier of plants, looking at her sternly. "Young Sage of the Forest, you control your powers well, but I must advise you not to create any personal barriers between you and your fellow sages. In times of dire need, we will have to be sure that we can count on each other... and such a time will come very, very soon."

"Um... I don't know what you're talking about," the green-haired girl said with a blush.

"Don't try to hide your feelings. A sage can read the emotions of other people. Can't you see? On the other side of this plant wall, the princess of the Zora puts all her heart in controlling her new-found powers. In the heart of the young Ryoga, I can feel that he's thinking about his beloved ones back at home."

Saria looked at the floor in shame. "I... I'm sorry, Rauru..."

Rauru saw that something was troubling the young forest girl, so he walked over to Ruto and said: "I think that's enough for today."

"Whaaaat?" Ruto gasped as her stream of water stopped flowing. "B-but I haven't beaten her yet..."

"This is not a test where one sage needs to defeat the other," Rauru reminded her. "This is simply an exercise to hone your skills. We are all tired, tomorrow I will continue to teach you."

Ruto sighed. "Okay, if you say so..."

Saria dropped her wall of plants, and Ryoga's flames vanished back into the candelabra. Rauru took both Ryoga and Ruto to the side and quietly told them: "Please go to the resting room for now... I need to talk to our youngest sage for a while."

"Really? About what?" Ruto asked curiously.

But Ryoga firmly pulled the young Zora princess into the other room. "None of our business, Ruto!" he said.

Ruto struggled against his grip. "Hey, no fair! I wanna hear, too!"

"If Saria wants to tell us about it, she will do so in time. I swear, you're as stubborn as Ranma at times. I can see that it runs in the family..."

"Hey, don't talk about Oniichan that way!" Ruto angrily shouted. They then left the room, and the stone door closed behind them. Rauru and Saria were the only ones left in the Chamber of Sages. It was very quiet.

Rauru walked up to Saria and summoned two chairs of light that turned solid within seconds. He sat down on one and said: "Won't you share your troubles with me, young Kokiri?"

Saria sat down sullenly. "I'm not that young..." she murmured. "I'm 18 years old..."

Rauru smiled. "True, you are still the youngest sage, however, and it looks like you could use some guiding words from an old man like me."

Saria sighed. "Very well... it is about Ruto... I can't stand her, you know?"

"Is it because of her behavior?" Rauru asked. "You have to remember that she is a princess and was raised differently..."

"That's not it," Saria proclaimed. "True, she's a bit snobby at times, but... what bothers me the most is that she seems to believe she can get whatever she wants! She's a princess, she found out that she's the Water Sage, and still she wants even more! And just because of some silly promise she and Link made back when they were kids..."

Rauru stroked his beard. "I see... so, this is more about Link than it is about Ruto, am I right?"

"Yes!" Saria nearly cried. "It's... it's just unfair! I've known him longer than any of the others, I'm his childhood friend, I should be the one who... who..."

"You think you have a right to claim Link as your own because you knew him before anyone else?"

Saria gasped in surprise. "No! Nonono, I d-didn't mean it like that... I mean... I'm just..."

But deep inside, she knew that she had thought just exactly that. She had felt fond feelings for Link before he even got to know Ruto, Malon, Zelda or any other girl, and she had automatically presumed that this would mean she had to be the one for him.

"After... after I acquired my Jusenkyo curse..." Saria whispered. "I was overjoyed. I finally could become an adult in appearance, not only in mind. Before that happened, I had always believed that Link could never see me as more than a friend, that we could never be more, since he was a Hylian, and I... a Kokiri..."

"You poor child," Rauru said softly. "Yes, I understand your feelings. Love can be a powerful force that helps people to overcome any hardship... Hylians, Kokiri, Zoras, Gerudos and Gorons alike. But, we can't let ourselves be blinded by it, you know? The most important question you have to ask is: Who would Link choose?"

Saria looked up at the wise, old man with teary eyes. "I... I thought... I never..."

"You never thought about it, isn't that right?" Rauru sighed. "You must remember, Link and Ukyo are both still children at heart. True, you are a Kokiri, but unlike most of the others, you took your time and grew up, at least in your heart and mind. Link, however, is still new to the concept of love between a man and a woman. And he is so busy with saving the Sages and all of Hyrule... I don't think he ever had the chance to think about it."

"But... but he made that promise to Ruto!" Saria shouted. "So why can't he do such a thing to me as well?"

"He asked her for the Zora Sapphire, not knowing about the ancient Zora custom that the princess only gives it to her betrothed one. I'm sure that even Queen Nodoka and King Zora had never seen the young hero as a suitor of their daughter, it all just happened within young Ruto's mind." He shook his head. "She will have to learn to let go... I thought that being a Sage would distract her from her... obsession with Link. Then again, it didn't cure you..."

Saria blushed again. "Do you... do you really think I'm just obsessed with Link? That all I'm feeling is just a stupid little crush?"

"I never said that, child," Rauru smiled. He gently put an arm around the Kokiri girl. "Still, patience is a virtue that every Sage should learn. Wait until Link has finished his quest. Maybe then he will have the time to think about love, and when he does, maybe he will realize what feelings you have for him."

Saria wiped her nose. "And Ruto?"

"I will talk to her tomorrow. You both have to remember not to put your rivalry between yourselves. You are the Sage of the Forest, and she is the Sage of Water... you must work together, just like the river gently cuts its path through the woods... do you understand?"

Saria sniffed one more time, then she nodded. "Yes, I understand. Thank you for your wise advice, Rauru!" And without any warning, she hugged him around his waist. "And thank you for listening to me..." she whispered.

The old sage's heart was warmed by the little girl, and he smiled down at her. "You are welcome, little one! Now, why don't you go to bed? I think we all need our sleep..."

* * *

Akane stepped down from the pedestal where Link had pulled the Master Sword from just seconds ago. She felt her whole body, looked down at her grown-up shape that once again filled her Sheikah outfit.

"I'm back..." she sighed. "I'm back and a grownup again... Thank Nayru..."

She turned around to face her two friends. "If I ever, ever suggest accompanying you when you decide to travel to the past, feel free to kick my butt! I will NEVER have to experience that again!"

Link frowned as he looked down at himself. "I don't see your problem... I liked it better when I was small."

"Can we get a move on already?" Tatl shouted. "We still got a Sage to save, remember?"

"That's right!" Navi nodded. "Now that we have the Lens of Truth, we can head to the Shadow Temple and..."

"And save Mom!" Akane nodded. "Come on, we've got no time to lose! Now that we're back in the normal time, the Shadow Beast could catch her any moment!"

"If he hasn't already..." Ukyo muttered.


	40. Onox strikes

If Akane had been intent on save her mother before, she was now as determined as a storm that cuts its way through the forest. Storming ahead of her companions, she didn't stop once on their way across the plains, from the ruined castle town to the village of Kakariko.

'I'm coming, Mom!' she thought. 'Just a little longer... don't you worry, I'm coming!'

She knew her mother was more than capable of defending herself against all sorts of evils, but this was Bongo Bongo... and without the Lens of Truth, her chances were slim.

But even though Akane tried to focus her whole will on the rescue mission, her mind began to wander while they were crossing the plains. Back to her trip back in time, back to when she was just a little child. Outwardly, she seemed to have detested the time she was forced to spend as a child. But... that was just a facade. In fact, she had never felt as relieved as she did after she had defeated the monstrosity in the well, the Dead Hand. She had grown to like her return to childhood... and if she'd be honest with herself, she'd actually confess that she wouldn't have minded to spend a bit more time in the past, to revel in the fun and innocent ways of a child. Her nostalgic feelings had always been suppressed by her determination of becoming a good Sheikah warrior like her mother, but now the buried feelings had been uncovered.

Should she have been more honest with her friends and herself? Or had they already seen past her little scam?

"Hey, Akane! Wait up!"

"Yeah, slow down there! I can't feel my feet anymore, and you're storming ahead like a rabid Wolfos."

Akane stopped and turned around. She had almost forgotten that her friends were still following her. "Well, hurry up!" she said. "We're almost in Kakariko... we can save my Mom before sunrise, if we hurry."

"Give us a break, Akane!" Ukyo wheezed as she and Link came to a stop, panting and gasping for breath. "We've been running ever since we left the Tenple of Time... how about we take a short break for the night?"

"Are you kidding? My Mom doesn't have the time. You think Bongo Bongo will wait until we knock on his door?"

"Ukyo is right, Akane," Navi agreed. "We are all tired. We couldn't face Bongo Bongo like this... or do you want to challenge him all by yourself?"

"I bet she's tired as heck, too," Tatl added.

At first, Akane wanted to protest. But then, she noticed that her legs were somehow wobbly, and her knees felt weak. Her whole body felt as if it would slump over any second. How could she have become tired in such a short time?

But what if she had been tired all along, but didn't notice it?

"W-well... I guess we can take a little break..." she finally mumbled as she clumsily fell down on her behind. Her eyelids were suddenly feeling so heavy.

Link smirked, even though he was tired as well. "Not even Heroes of Time and Sheikah warriors can fight for several days with no sleep. You two sleep tight, I'll take care of the first guard."

"Good..." Akane murmured. Then her eyes were closed shut, and she fell down on the soft grass in the shadow of a low hill. Gentle snoring could be heard shortly after.

Ukyo chuckled. "Just a moment ago, I didn't think she'd be this tired. She looked so determined..."

"Maybe she just suppressed her tiredness," Navi said. "You wouldn't believe how people can ignore their own feelings when they are focussed on something that's important and dear to them."

"I guess I can understand her," Ukyo nodded. "If my father was still alive, I'd also be worried for him, knowing that he'd be in danger... well, g'night!" And she lay down as well.

Link took off his cap and sat down next to his friends, took the heavy shield off his back and rested his head on the hilt of the Master Sword. He watched how Navi and Tatl were sharing his cap, using it as a sleeping bag.

'I wish I knew my parents...' he thought.

Later, he must have fallen asleep, even though he had sworn to himself not to let his guard down. Still, he was startled awake when he heard a sudden noise nearby.

"What's that?" he whispered.

It was the middle of the night, and the moon was high up in the starlit sky of Hyrule. Akane, Ukyo and the fairies were still snoozing peacefully.

Link watched a nearby puddle of water. At first, it seemed that everything was quiet and the water surface was as smooth as the marble floor within the Temple of Time. But then, something made the water ripple and quiver. A deep, thumping noise made the ground beneath Link shudder. A few pebbles clattered around next to him. A few birds flew up from a nearby tree.

He gently shook Ukyo. "Ukyo! Hey, Ukyo! Wake up!"

"Hmmm… what's wrong?" the female Hylian in Kokiri's clothing mumbled sleepily. Sluggishly, she pushed her body up and looked at her childhood friend.

"Don't you hear that?" Link whispered.

Ukyo perked up her ears. Then she heard it as well. She also saw the rippling water in the puddle. "What could that be?"

"Whatever it is, it's coming closer," Akane whispered. She and the fairies had woken up as well. The thumping noise was coming closer and closer.

"It's coming from... over there!" Link said and pointed to the top of the hill, in whose shadow they had been sleeping.

Quickly, they were on their feet. Link put on his cap and grabbed his shield and sword, while Ukyo took her spatula and Akane drew a few throwing darts out of her pouch.

The full moon was hovering directly over the hill. And then, a big shape appeared on top of the hill, pushing its dark silhouette directly in front of the moon. It was a big, heavy reptile that was even bigger as a Dodongo. It also had a huge, metal shield on its head that made it appear even bigger as it already was. Small, red eyes glinted underneath the head shield.

"That's a Helmasaur!" Navi gasped. "But I thought those aggressive beasts were almost extinct..."

"I've seen one of these before," Akane grumbled. "Onox has one of them as his mount."

"Well, we should be able to deal with one," Ukyo said. "Even if that shield does look like it's pretty durable..."

The Helmasaur then let out a deep bellow. Just a few seconds later, more heavy footsteps could be heard, and another pair of Helmasaurs appeared next to the first one.

"Okay," Ukyo gulped. "This might take a little longer."

"Look out!" Link shouted. "Here they come!"

The first Helmasaur growled and leapt down the hill, trying to land on Link. The Hero of Time nimbly leapt backwards, avoiding being squashed by the beast's heavy body.

Link slashed at its head, but the Master Sword harmlessly bounced of the metal shield without causing any damage.

"You're right, Ukyo," Link muttered. "That armor is too thick."

"Well, then let's attack their backside, shall we?" Akane asked. After the horrific encounter with the Dead Hand in the spooky atmosphere of the well cavern, this battle was rather sobering and exciting. She was a Sheikah and trained in battle. This was just a wild beast. A dangerous beasts, but at least not something out of her nightmares. And she even already had a strategy to beat it.

With the agility that every Sheikah had, she jumped up and landed right on top of a Helmasaur's head shield. The creature aggressively snapped at her, but the bounced off its head right away, only to land behind its back with an elegant backflip.

"Take this!" she shouted and slashed at its backside with her blade. The Helmasaur let out a strangled yelp as it turned around to counterattack. But, it's body was so big and heavy, it stood no chance as Akane attacked with a flurry of rapid blows, until the monster fell down to the ground in defeat.

"That's all there is to it?" Ukyo asked. "Okay, fine! I can do that... I can't jump as high as Akane, though..." she mumbled.

When another Helmasaur lowered its head and charged at her with a frightening roar, she skipped sidewards, rolled across the floor and behind the creature. Then she skillfully stuck her spatula underneath the monster's feet. With all the strength she could muster, she then tried flipping it over.

"Yeah, do it, Ukyo!" Tatl cheered. "Flip that fatso like a Moblin burger on the grill!"

"EEYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Ukyo then yelled and yanked her weapon up into the air. The Helmasaur helplessly stumbled forward and then flipped over on his backside, thrashing around in the air with his four limbs helplessly.

"And now... the Coup de Grace!" Ukyo shouted, jumping up and bringing her weapon down on the creature's soft underbelly with all her might.

The Helmasaur had only time to utter a short squeak, then its limbs and head fell limply to the side.

In the meantime, Link had finished his own opponent as easily as the girls.

"That's it?" he grinned and pulled his sword out of the Helmasaur's carcass. "Boring... no challenge at all!"

"So you need a challenge?" a deep voice on top of the hill spoke up. "I guess I can help you there..."

The three teenagers and two fairies gasped when they saw the bigger and taller shape that was rising against the full moon. It was another Helmasaur... but much bigger than the other three. Ukyo was uncertain if that beast's body would exceed even the immense size of the colossal King Dodongo...

On top of the beast, an armored giant was sitting. They all recognized him.

"Onox..." Akane muttered. She narrowed her eyes.

"We meet again, Sheikah, filth!" the dark general grumbled. "You see I have not given up on hunting all of you dirty rebels down. Before this night is over, you will tremble at the feet of the great King Ganondorf!"

"Your monsters and minions tried it again and again," Ukyo shouted. "What makes you think it will be different this time along?"

"I see no reason to justify my actions in front of a commoner," Onox growled. "Especially not a savage forest dweller!"

"I'll give you 'savage'..." Ukyo hissed through clenched teeth.

Onox slowly dismounted his enormous Helmasaur ride. "I must admit, I was waiting for a chance to test your battle skills," he said darkly. "I know that one-eyed demon is just waiting for when you arrive in his temple, so he can rind the flesh from your bones... but I think I will bring you to my master first. I think he'll be quite satisfied with me..."

"It's not his temple!" Akane shouted. "Neither his, yours or Ganondorf's! It is the Temple of Shadow, the one my mother is destined to protect by birthright as the Sage of Shadows! And you, Tatewaki, are nothing but an uppity, spoiled boy who is playing with powers he will never understand!"

"HOW DARE YOU??" Onox thundered as he stomped his feet. For a moment, Link believed it made the earth beneath their feet shake. "I am chosen by the greatest kings to fight in the service of Hyrule!"

"Only in the service of darkness," Link proclaimed. "Are you here to fight or to babble, or what?"

"Very well," Onox said. "If you want to die that badly..." He pointed his sword at them. "Helmasaur King... destroy them!"

"You're not fighting yourself?" Link asked.

"Crossing blades with such rabble as yourselves is beneath a warrior of my calibre," Onox glowered. "This mighty beast will pound you into the ground."

"Your snottiness will be the end of you some day, Kuno," Akane growled.

Onox just huffed while he watched his pet stomp downhill, until it stood in front of the heroes. It snorted, and small sparks were coming out of its nostrils. It moved its backside about, and suddenly they could see that a long, fiery tail was attached to its behind.

"No, this one certainly doesn't look like it's going to be as easy as the other ones," Ukyo gulped.

Suddenly, the Helmasaur King roared and lashed out with its tail. Like a scorpion, he made it shoot forward, only barely missing Link and Akane, instead burning a tuft of grass between them.

"I got it!" Ukyo shouted as she ran around the massive beast and pounded his behind with her spatula. But she could clobber it as much as she wanted, it didn't do a thing.

The monster growled and swept his tail around, sweeping Ukyo off her feet. She yelped in fright when it moved backwards, trying to trample it.

"Link, do something!" Akane yelled.

"Put away the sword! You need a more powerful blow to destroy that shield!" Navi shouted.

"Powerful blow, got it!" Link nodded. Sheathing his sword, he reached into his backpack and produced the powerful relic of the Gorons: The Megaton Hammer. Swinging it over his head, he brought it down on the Helmasaur King's mask. The colossus roared in anger when the head of the heavy metal weapon made his whole head shake. And then, to everyone's relief, a few cracks appeared in the material of the mask.

"It's working!" Akane shouted. "Do it again!"

"You can talk," Link winced. The Helmasaur King had opened his mouth and spat out a plume of flame that made Link retreat. "This is not as easy as it looks."

"Maybe the others can help in some way?" Navi suggested.

"Are you that dense?" Tatl shouted. "What else can you use to blast things apart, heh? Try using your heads!"

"I got it, I got it," Akane grumbled. "No need to be a fairy-bitch about it!" She reached into her pouch again, but this time, she grabbed for something else than throwing darts. With a grin on her face, she lit the fuse of the bomb, while at the other side of the monster, Ukyo did the same.

"Ready, Akane?"

"Ready when you are, Ukyo!"

And together, the girls jumped up and threw their explosive weapons at the Helmasaur mask.

Two explosions later, and the mask had even more cracks. Now blind with fury, the Helmasaur King twirled his tail around and spit fireballs that split apart whenever they hit the ground, creating even more, smaller fireballs.

"Only one more hit!" Navi shouted. "You can do it, Link!"

"Okay..." Link murmured, avoiding fire blasts and ducking underneath the tail. "If I manage to approach his head only one more time..." He stormed forth, drew back the Megaton Hammer... the fiery tail was aimed at his feet... Link jumped... and smacked the hammer sidewards into the protective shield.

The cracks grew longer and longer, connected with each other and covered the whole surface of the mask... until the whole metal mask finally broke apart in a shower of metal shards, revealing the monstrous visage of the Helmasaur King. A single, green gem on its forehead was glinting in the moonlight.

"That's its weak spot!" Tatl yelled. "Attack it already!"

"I got it, I got it!" Ukyo yelled back as she jumped on the monster's back and slid down to its neck. The Helmasaur King flailed around and jumped around the area, trying to throw off this unwelcome rider. Akane and Link had to be careful not to be trampled.

"Slow down already, you big beast!" Ukyo cried as she pounded the green jewel again and again with her oversized cooking utensil. "Dammit, it won't crack!"

"Hold him down for a moment, Ukyo!" Link shouted.

"Are you kidding me?? That's not a farm animal, King Dodongo is a docile cow compared to this one!"

"Don't complain! You can do it, you are the Heroine of Time!" Tatl said.

"I got his tail!" Akane shouted triumphantly as she jumped up and grabbed the flaming tail. Now she was glad that her mother had given her fireproof gloves for her last birthday. But when the Helmasaur King flailed his tail around again, Akane was hanging a bit helplessly at its end. "Liiiink! Whatever you wanna do, do it quick!"

"YAAAAAAHHHH!" the green-clothed defender of Hyrule screamed as he charged at the beast. While he was sprinting, his left hand reached for the hilt of the Master Sword. In a fluid motion, he drew it out and... pierced it directly into the center of the green jewel!

For a moment, time itself seemed to have stopped. Then the monster let out a deafening roar. Then an even louder one.

Then it only said "Mff." And then, even quieter, again: "Mff." And then it fell on the ground, spread-eagled and with the tongue hanging out of its mouth.

The gem shattered around the Master Sword.

Everyone sighed in relief. Ukyo slid down the Helmasaur King's carcass and Akane took a deep breath.

"Don't forget about Onox!" Navi suddenly shouted, making everyone jump in surprise.

But when they looked up at the hill... the dark general was gone.

"Hmmph, that's just like the coward, to run when he's outnumbered..." Akane grumbled and crossed her arms.

Just a short run away from the scene, Onox was taking quick, but firm steps that lead him away from the heroic trio.

"I'll get you one day," he grumbled. "I could kill you on the spot... but you're as good as dead anyways. Bongo Bongo will destroy you... if you even manage to get to him! The traps waiting in the Shadow Temple will surely be the death to one or two of you..."

He would come back to witness their deaths, of course. Oh yes, Onox had waited for this day... to see the death of the evil Sheikah assassin, Akane Tendo! And with Impa in Bongo Bongo's grasp, it wouldn't take long until their evil race was decimated once and for all.

* * *

Author's Notes:

IT'S ALIVE!!

Um, yeah... as many of you might know, Helmasaur King is a boss from Zelda: A Link to the Past.


	41. Into the House of the Dead

Akane huffed. "So now that we're done wasting time with Kuno's stupidity and his pets, let's hurry up and help my mother!"

Ukyo raised a finger slightly. "That's technically what we were doing before we had to stop to power nap or drop dead on our feet."

"Why did you call him Kuno, anyway?" Link asked.

Akane shrugged. "He used to be the son of Hyrule's Chancellor, he was an arrogant racist pin head even then."

"What happened to his father?"

"The bastard PROUDLY declared how he killed him! Claimed he had avenged the king and saved Hyrule and would continue to serve and protect it under it's new king as his general Onox."

Ukyo stared. "His father was the king's killer?"

"I don't know," Akane answered. "His father was a laid back old man with his head in the clouds. And I haven't trusted a single thing that came out of Onox's mouth since that day. And it doesn't matter! I doubt Bongo-Bongo is playing cards while we're just sitting here!"

"But we're standing."

"LINK!" Ukyo shouted.

"What?"

Navi thought for a moment, "Link... try the Ocarina again..."

Link look at Navi floating in front of him. "But it doesn't work, remember? We tried to warp directly to the Shadow Temple after we returned from the past, and it didn't work."

"I still think you didn't memorize it right," Tatl grumbled.

"Or maybe it was that evil general who was keeping the Ocarina from working," Navi countered.

Tatl flew next to her. "That makes no sense!"

"You have a better explanation?"

"Yeah! Link has no memory and screwed up the song!"

"HEY!" Link said, channeling his fairy.

"If they could have stopped us from using the Ocarina before then why wouldn't they have done so sooner? It would make killing us a whole lot easier!"

"It could have been a curse that Gannondorf linked to that big monster of Onox's," Navi said.

"Then... then why didn't he keep it locked safe and sound in a basement? And if it was too good a killing machine to keep under wraps why not link such a nasty little advantage to a pet bat or to that witch or..."

"Cause deep inside, Onox is Kuno and Kuno is an arrogant idiot," Akane injected.

"Try the Ocarina again, Link," Navi spoke calmly.

The Hero of Time nodded, brought the Ocarina to his lips and began to calmly blow, spilling forth the haunting melody of Nocturne of Shadow.

"HOLD ONTO HIM, YOU IDIOTS!" Tatl shouted as the yellow fairy grabbed hold of the Hero of Time as he warped away, the rest of the party barely managing to grab him in time.

* * *

Impa had been prepared for the illusions of the Shadow Temple. After all, she was this temple's true guardian. And as such had been prepared for it's numerous booby traps designed to add any grave robbers to it's massive morgue. And of course there were the natural 'annoyances' that came with any massive underground structure in Hyrule, man-made or not, vermin and aberrations that neither knew nor cared that technically this was no cave they dwelled in.

However, she hadn't counted on Ganondorf having somehow snuck in minions of his that were already dead and thus did not awaken the temple's defenses. Impa had let herself become distracted, she had no idea when these things had entered. Or perhaps... a chill ran down her spine when she realized something... 'Did maybe Bongo-Bongo itself make these monsters from the temple's vast supplies of dead bodies?'

Impa had effortlessly bypassed or cut through Stalfos soldiers, but she made the mistake of taking her eyes off the skull bubbles. One struck her in the back, and her katana instantly flew back into its sheath and couldn't be drawn. Impa didn't waste time trying to draw the now useless weapon, using the sheath itself to defend herself. Her throwing needles were next to useless for things that had no vital spots. Then came that ear piercing scream.

Her muscles frozen in place, Impa heard a voice that belonged to no natural spirit that dwelled in this place.

"The drums, the beating of the drums, all that remains is the hate, and the beating of the drums!" Then she felt the giant, invisible hands grab her.

* * *

It was raining, which caused the mud of the graveyard to splattered all over their nice boots as they stepped off the emblem slab in front of the rather unextraordinary entrance to the underground before them. Behind them was a wooden fence. "Coming in!" Tatl said, hiding inside Ukyo's bow as Navi did the same with Link's hat.

Link took a look. "This is the Shadow Temple? I was expecting something... bigger."

"Not every temple in Hyrule has been big oversized entrance pointing to where it is so just anyone can wander in and get themselves killed," Akane said.

"Ah," Link said, turning his head as he realized: "We're in the graveyard?"

"Don't go turning into Navi, Link," Tatl tattled.

"HEY!"

"This cliff overlooks the entrance to the Royal Crypt." Akane said. "I think my ancestors thought it would make a rather good distraction so people would be more interested in the bones of kings of Hyrule past rather than the House of the Dead."

"Hey! Listen! House of the dead. Sound familiar? 'One in a deep forest... one on a high mountain... one under a vast lake... one within the house of the dead... one inside a goddess of the sand...' That cryptic message Sheik gave us about where to find the sages."

"One more to go after we save Impa."

"My mother ... "Akane was split between concern for her mother's safety and of course the natural idolization that almost any child had for their parent. She finally chose to say nothing.

"INTRUDERS! HYLIANS! FAIRIES!"

"YOU MAY NOT ENTER!"

Two Poes rose from the graveyard below and passed through the wooden fence to face the heroes. Ukyo and Link instantly drew their weapons. they didn't notice these poes looked slightly different from the rest of the ghosts they had seen. Besides the oblivious difference of carrying conductor batons and having mustaches, both their clothes carried the emblem of the Triforce.

"SHARP! FLAT! WAIT! IT'S ME!" Akane frantically waved her arms as Link and Ukyo in turn attacked the two Poes without question.

"Huh? Akane?" The one wearing a hat with the moon symbol looked in her direction.

The one wearing a hat with the sun symbol continued: "What are you doing here? Don't you know it's dangerous-AAAGH!"

Ukyo and Link ruthlessly chopped their way through the spirits' ghostly forms.

"Stop, you bakas!" Akane shouted, but it was too late, the lanterns fell to the ground and shattered as the ghostly forms dissolved.

Akane ran in front of them. "I said stop, bakas!"

"Huh?" Link asked. "But Akane! Those were Poes! Ghost and..."

"These were... are... whatever... the royal composers of Hyrule's royal family!"

"Eh?" Ukyo sweatdropped, suddenly looking and feeling very stupid.

"They're GOOD GUYS! They figured out a song that could control time with the ocarina and Ganondorf murdered them when they refused to give it to him!"

The floating faces composed of odd colored flame now flanking Akane said: "And it was a none too pleasant death I assure you. Was it, Flat?" asked the one who had been wearing the sun mark.

"Not very much at all, Sharp," said the other one who had been wearing the moon symbol.

Link stuttered: "I, uh, sorry for killing you, again I mean, I mean having you be dead again and..."

"We'll remanifest soon enough, don't worry! So you better scram before..."

"I said wait! Sharp! Flat! This is Link and Ukyo."

"HEY!"

"And Navi and Tatl. We're here to help my mother against the shadow beast that escaped the bottom of the well, you guys must have seen it."

"Not really, it's invisible, remember?" Tatl said.

"Maybe fellow ghosts can see it?" Navi suggested.

"Was it ever alive?"

"Well it can't technically be dead if it was never alive."

Sharp groaned, "PLEASE! Enough with the semantics. And yes, we felt the shadow beast escape."

"Guys, look, this here is the Hero of Time appointed by the Sages and this Ukyo, Child of Fate appointed by... something or other." Ukyo's face burned. "And their job is to liberate all of Hyrule's temples from Ganondorf's control."

"Screw over the guy who killed us and brought ruin to the family we served? Sounds good to me!" Sharp said.

"If you insist on going in there, may I suggest you learn our song," Flat added.

"More music..." Tatl groaned.

Everyone ignored her.

"What does your song do?" Navi asked.

"It turns night into day," Sharp declared.

"The rising sun will eventually set, a newborn's life will fade. From sun to moon, moon to sun... give peaceful rest to the living dead."

"This is an interesting poem," Navi said.

"...besides extra nap time, I'm not sure how useful that is," Tatl quipped.

"Oh oh but it is useful!" Flat said. "We discovered, as a side effect, I'd rather not say HOW we found out, that it also causes ReDead to freeze in place, and I'm pretty sure you will run into some down there."

"Payback to those ghouls? All righty then! Compose away!"

"Uh... we would. But we seem to have lost our ectoplasmic bodies."

Link and Ukyo both groaned.

"But luckily we kept a copy written down in the Royal Crypt."

"The Royal Crypt?" Tatl asked.

"The Royal Crypt."

"The Royal CRYPT?"

"Yes, the Royal Crypt."

"Perfect..." the yellow fairy groaned.

* * *

After climbing over the wooden fence and falling the short distance to the graveyard below...

"Just push the grave to the side and you'll see the opening," explained the ghosts. And Link did so without a second thought.

"Looks more like a pit to me," Tatl said.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Link said as he jumped in.

Navi stared. "Sometimes I feel like he's being manipulated by some extra dimensional entity for yucks."

"I get that feeling too." Tatl added.

"Away we go." Ukyo followed, thinking: 'If we fall to our deaths, Hyrule's hopes and dreams were all destroyed because we took advice from two dead guys.'

Five minutes later...

"I think I just figured out how they found out their song can freeze Redeads," Navi observed.

"WHAT THE FRICKING IS WITH YOU AND THE FRICKING OBVIOUS?!?!" Tatl swore in front of the horde of Redeads.

Link sighed and drew his sword. This wasn't going to be fun.

Later, as the party climbed out of the royal hole in the ground, with their music prize now memorized, Akane said: "If my mother got killed because we wasted time going after your jingle, I'm going to kill you... again!"

"Don't worry!" one of the dead composers replied. "Now that you have the Sun Song, any Redead you come across are easy pickings! And yes, you will come across them in there."

"Okay, Link, beam us up!" Navi said. "You know what to do."

Link only nodded and began to play once again the Nocturne of Shadow, this time the heroes remembered to hold onto Link as he played the song.

* * *

"This is the Shadow Temple?" Navi asked.

"No this is still just the entrance..." Akane walked to the the giant stone slab engraved with the symbol of the Sheikah. No lock, no hinge, no handle, no obvious way for it to open. "Mom must have closed it on her way in."

"She could have at least left the door open for us," Tatl quipped.

"Shut up," Akane said simply.

"So how ARE we supposed to get in?" Navi asked, fluttering around. "I don't see any switches or blocks or anything, just these cave walls, this weirdo platform, this twilighty design on it and a bunch of unlit torches."

'Unlit torches? That sounds familiar somehow.' An idea flickered in Link's head. "Ukyo! Use Din's Fire while standing on that weird stone slab."

"Huh? Why?"

"All these torches. There's way more here than needed. And they are all fixed in place so no one can move them. Maybe there's something to it."

"Alright," Ukyo nodded.

Ukyo stood on top of the circular stone slab surrounded by the unlit torches.

"Din's FIRE!" She rammed her fist into the ground and the sphere of flame came out from it. The ground and her friends were not even suffering scorch marks as the circle of torches all lit at once. The stone slab with the Sheikah emblem slowly rose, revealing a passageway behind it.

Tatl for once was speechless. Ukyo filled in for her: "But how did your mother get in? Does she know Din's Fire?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"She never told me how to enter on my own. First, I was too young to be here by myself and then, well, Ganondorf changed our priorities for us."

Tatl finally recovered and said: "That was very, very useful. Seriously, Ukyo, we need to meet up with the Great Faries and get your spell list expanded."

Ukyo put a fist on her hips, looking at her fairy. "So, because I'm a girl that means I'm the one who has to learn magic? That's sexist. Why not Link?"

Tatl retorted: "You're the one who climbed to the top of Death Mountain... and how'd you learn that word anyway?!"

"The Know-It-All-Brothers," Ukyo answered plainly.

"Of course..." Tatl sighed.

"Well, we wouldn't have been able to progress without that spell, Ukyo, so it might be better we go and visit them after we defeat the shadow beast," Link said. "We don't know when the rest will come in handy."

"Point," Ukyo conceded.

"Come on!" Akane gestured. "The house of shadows and death awaits us."

"Joy..." Tatl spoke flatly.

* * *

"This place doesn't look so bad," Ukyo said as they went through the perfectly mundane gray stone passage devoid of features. Then they turned the corner.

"You just had to jinx it, didn't you?" Tatl said.

On the other side of a lengthy pit was a wall painted morbidly with a large, almost grinning skull.

"This is peachy," Ukyo said.

Akane didn't so much as blink one red eye as she took a running start, then ran across the wall of the narrow passage, then landed safely on the other side. She looked back at the others. "What did you expect? My tribe did build this place, and I am a ninja after all."

"Don't worry, Ukyo, I've got this one covered," Link said with a smile as he pulled out the hookshot and took aim at other side. "Take a hold."

Ukyo instantly understood and took her childhood friend by the waist. "Got a grip?" he asked her.

"Don't worry, I do."

"All right then!"

Link fired the hookshot, which instantly imbedded itself in the stone and upon retracting pulled Link and Ukyo along for the ride.

"A dead end?" Navi fluttered about.

"I doubt it," Akane said.

"The shadow will yield only to one with the eye of truth, handed down in Kakariko Village."

Everyone looked around.

"Who said...?" Ukyo looked around for whoever had just spoken.

"Don't look at me," Link said.

"So you all heard that too?"

Everyone nodded.

"I feel a chill up my spine," Navi quivered.

"Ukyo, use the lens," Link said. "I get the feeling that thing has another job here besides letting us see the monster."

Ukyo brought up the lens of truth. "This wall is a lie. And, whao..."

"Something nasty on the other side?" Tatl asked.

"Not really, but... better just see it for yourselves." Ukyo just walked straight through the wall with the rest of the party right behind her.

"Mom! Can you hear me? It's Akane!" The Shiekah shouted out, not caring if the enemy was as likely to hear her as her mother. Only the silence answered back.

'Please be okay.' she thought.

"This place is like the bottom of the well deluxe!" Tatl exclaimed.

Link just sighed, pretending not to feel the feeling of revolution he had at the idea of going through an oversized version of that place.

"Bongo has rotted this place the same way it rotted its holding cell," Akane said.

"And you would know how?" Tatl asked.

"Well... I don't wanna think the Shadow Temple would normally be this creepy!"

"No offense, darling, but your tribe owns the patent on creepy."

Akane frowned darkly at the little yellow ball of light. But Tatl's description wasn't all that inaccurate really.

Walking out of the illusionary iron door, the heroes had found themselves in a large, rectangular chamber... three of the walls had more and more of the skull doors, all of them exactly identical. On the far end there was no floor but a vast, deep, empty abyss leading downwards into darkness. Across the impassable gulf was a gate in the mouth of an inhuman stone creature that had its tongue sticking out long but not not remotely long enough to reach across the chasm.

"Five to one the skeleton statue thingie comes to life and tries to eat us," Tatl said flatly.

"That's silly," Navi said.

"You're silly!" Tatl snapped back.

"Do you always have to be so snarky?"

"I'm just honest."

"This place isn't," Okyo said.

Link looked at the gate across the abyss. There was nothing for his hookshot to connect to, even if it reached that far, of course... He noticed a sign on the edge of the chasm, but was distracted by his teammates who were more interested in the main object in the room. A squat large pillar with the figure of a raven perched on top, its beak pointing out parallel to a stone slab that was connected to the pillar. But this wasn't the end either: Surrounding the pillar, like the numbers on a clock, were thick, tall obsidian pillars, all of them topped with a skull. They reminded Akane of blackened match sticks. Ukyo wondered how long it had been since Impa had come through here, since all the torches were lit.

"Make my beak face the Skull of Truth. The alternative is a descent into the darkness."

Everyone shuddered and looked around. "Nobody said anything?" Akane asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Who said that? Hello!"

"I get the very very strong feeling you're not going to get an answer, Navi," Link said.

"Skull of truth, eh... well, it's pretty obvious what they want," Ukyo said as she held up the eye, not really explaining or knowing who 'they' were. "Yep, all the skulls here are lies except... that one! Link if you'd please." She gestured at the stone slab.

"Why me?"

"You're our pack mule."

"I thought I was the guy with the enchanted sword saddled with saving the world."

"That too."

Link sighed as he began to push the slab, slowly spinning the stone pillar around. He almost wished for the days a short time ago when the forest was his world, however, did he really not want to see everything he had seen? Everyone he had met? All he had... "LINK, STOP!" Ukyo shouted. "That's the spot!"

"Huh? Okay."

"Geeze, we had enough philosophy in the well, let's not repeat that here," Tatl said.

"Shut up," Akane said darkly. No one objected.

There was a large clicking sound as Link let go of the pillar's 'rudder'. It was the gate in the inhuman statue's mouth across the impossible gap that opened.

Akane nodded in approval. "Typical Shiekah misdirection. NONE of the doors were the right one. Makes sense, really, why give a grave robber a percentage chance of getting it right when you can give them a zero percent chance and add to the corpses."

Navi floated next to the giant bird beak and said: "I get the feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of these raven statues here."

"I wonder what their point is," Link said.

"I think ravens are supposed to be the embodiment of the guardian spirits of this place, or something." Akane shrugged.

"Or something?" Ukyo asked.

"I didn't pay attention to everything Mom taught me."

Tatl flew towards the now opened gate leading further onwards and downwards. "Did she say how to cross here? We can fly, but you giant lot wouldn't be so lucky."

"Only one who has sacred feet can cross the valley of the dead."

Everyone looked around again.

"No, no, no, that was me this time!" Link waved his hand. "This sign next to the gap, it says: 'Only one who has sacred feet can cross the valley of the dead.' "

"Hmmm... I wonder how sacred my feet are?" Navi said, looking at her toes.

"These messages never mean precisely what you think they mean." Akane sighed.

"I've noticed," Link said.

"Maybe there's an invisible path," Navi suggested.

Ukyo nodded and brought up the eye again, "Dang. Sorry guys. No invisible path." She turned around, still holding up the eye for a moment, when she spotted something. "Your ancestors were a very shrewd lot, Akane."

Ukyo walked past the party without a word and put her hand through another of the skull doors.

"Maybe this is the real entrance at last?" Link asked.

"Or at least where we can get our feet made sacred," Navi suggested.

The heroes walked through the fake skull door, and found behind it a perfectly mundane iron door with handle and hinges.

The heroes opened it and walked through without fanfare.

"Dead end?"

"Not buying it."

"Me neither."

"Ditto."

On the other end of the short stone hallway was a ugly brown rough cut stone wall. Ukyo brought up the eye, nodded to the others, and began to march through it.

"One who gathers the Eye of Truth will be able to see what is hidden in the darkness."

"Guys, I swear it, the eyes of the skull here were glowing for a second!" Navi shuddered.

No one protested her claim.

On the other side were more of the skull walls, all looking exactly the same. The heroes waited for a moment for some horror to jump out and attack them, but there was nothing.

"This place is starting to creep me out," Navi said.

"Starting?" Link asked.

Ukyo looked around at the morbid scenery. "No exits... eye time, I guess... Geeze, it's like the deeper we get in the place, the more nasty it looks."

Akane shrugged. "This is the house of the dead, what did you expect? The deeper we get, the more we're intruders in THEIR domain."

"What a cheerful thought..."

"Here's an exit," Ukyo said as she walked to what was apparently another illusionary wall.

Link meanwhile knelt down and look at the base of the walls where he read some names that were written there: "Flay Allster. Meer Campbell. Euphemia li Britannia. Sir Terra. Sir Aqua. Sir Ventus."

"Shadow Temple... Here, Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred is gathered..." Said the voice from nowhere and everywhere.

Everyone stiffened at that. Then they all looked at Akane.

Akane said nothing for several seconds, then she continued to say nothing, not being able to find the words. Finally she spoke up: "This is the Shadow Temple... That voice isn't lying. This isn't just the sacred holy ground for the shadow folk. Or our final resting place. It's also a memorial for every person... Hylian, Gerudo, Zora, Shiekah, or Goron... who died during Hyrule's wars... until about seventeen years ago, this place constantly had new additions."

"I thought this was a prison for evil spirits." Tatl said.

"Yes and no. Those who die in violence aren't always peaceful in death, those who are simply move on. My mother said some sages just wanted to send the Shadow Temple straight to the underworld."

"Well... it's not like it changes anything," Ukyo said haltingly, shaking her head to get her own head on straight.

"Yeah, Hyrule's only going to become that again if we let Ganondorf try to conquer the world now that he has Hyrule, let's go!" Navi said dramatically.

"Yeah!" Link nodded.

The heroes stepped through the illusion wall and the next iron door.

"The hands..." Akane whispered.

"Sweet Farore! It's all skulls and bones!" For once, no one complained about Navi speaking the obvious of what was sticking out of the walls, floors, and ceiling.

But that wasn't what got everyones' attention... it was the snake-like arms that were wavering high in the air, with pale corpse hands on the end, fingers more claws than nails, all blotched with blood. There were more than last time.

"You know... what is... how did... is it really..." Navi began stuttered.

Akane drew her kodachi. Ukyo her oversized spatula. And Link the blade of evil's bane.

"Don't you even dare thinking about doing it solo this time," Link said to Akane.

"So who wants to be bait to lure the thing out?" Tatl asked.

"No one!" Ukyo said, bringing up the eye. "Cause I'm not playing this thing's stupid game! I see you!" She took out a bomb and threw it at a very particular part of the ground. A second later, a second later the explosion sent the thing bursting out of the ground with a horrid groan as green blood spitted from it's giant jaws... the thing they had expected but had all hoped not to see again.

"Dead Hand! Beware it's infinite hands! Aim for the head!" Navi shouted on instinct.

The slug-like, ostrich-necked, skull-faced thing was exactly as Akane remembered it. Except this time... she wouldn't face it alone.

"GET HIM!"

The heroes tore into the undead thing without mercy. Navi and Tatl provided interference, keeping the rest of the heroes from being grabbed by the thing's signature hands. With no less than three experienced heroes cutting into it from all directions, the undead horror did not even get a chance to escape background... it was over in less than three minutes.

"AND THIS TIME STAY DEAD! DEAD!" Akane snapped, kicking the thing in the side as it once again degraded back into graveyard soil and bones.

That was when the treasure chest materialized out of thin air.

Ukyo automatically brought up the eye, "No sign of any surprise, the chest is real."

"Okay!" Link said, opening the large, unremarkable chest. Link pulled out and held above his head a pair of Hylian boots with golden stubs and little metal wings at the ankles.

"It's the hover boots!" Navi said, flying about. "With those you can walk on air or water for a few seconds! You also become lighter when wearing them so you don't have to worry about quicksand or setting off pressure plate boobytraps when walking around!"

"Da-da-da-dunnn..." Tatl added for good measure.

"I get the feeling I just figured what sacred feet means!" Link said with a grin.

"There is one tiny draw back, there's no traction, but don't worry! Be brave and trust in the boots!"

"You're not selling them, Navi!" Tatl said.

"Excuse me for pep-talking."

"Come off it, you two," Link said with a smile. "We just got what we needed to get past the valley of the dead with our 'sacred feet' so let's get to it!" he grinned.

A minute later, the heroes were back at the first room with the false doors. Akane impressed everyone again with just how far a Sheikah could jump for the second time. Meanwhile, Link put on the Hover Boots. He did indeed feel a whole lot lighter. He took one step into the empty space and found that for a few precious seconds he was defying gravity, and ran across the Valley of the Dead without becoming a resident... and then he reached the tongue of the gate.

Beyond the gate, the path cut right through bizarre colored stone, and descended deeper into darkness.

Then Ukyo said it: "Uh, Link... how do I get across?"

Navi sighed. "I'm getting the impression that these temples and treasures weren't designed with large adventuring parties in mind."

* * *

Author's Note:

This episode was written by Alex Warlorn and proofread by me, Shritistrang.


End file.
